Back when I was living in Florida, my husband and I went over to Clearwater Beach and took a nice long walk on the beach on a crisp, but beautiful sunny “Winter” day. Then the “aha” moment happened.

After walking for about an hour and a half we took a break on this landing that overlooked the beach and I decided to snack on one of my favorite Clif Bars.  I had taken one bite, and then I noticed my husband looking up and I felt a strong tug on the Clif Bar simultaneously. 

The next thing I know the Clif Bar is ripped out of my hand and there are about 30 seagulls circling over us!  It looked like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" and we ran away from there leaving the 30 birds to fight over the Clif Bar that was aggressively stolen away from me.  

Those were some aggressive birds--must have flown down from New York to be that tough!

Food for Thought…Literally!

Anyway, after laughing about it and vowing never to eat at the beach again, the incident got me thinking that this would make a great healthy eating tip!  Especially around social situations, when we are knee deep in favorite comfort foods, sometimes it's hard to control how much you're eating when you get caught up in all the festivities.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a seagull like the one who stole my Clif Bar around to keep you on track, so whenever you were eating too much, or something you really shouldn't be, it could swoop in and save you from unnecessary pounds?

The Seagull Mindfulness Trick

It's not an arrangement you can likely make, but what you can do is play the scene in your mind.  Before eating extra food or too many treats (after all you are only human and you need some treats in moderation), ask yourself if you'd really miss it, and if it wouldn't be a favor instead, if a seagull swooped down and took it away from you. 

If the answer is yes (like it was for me--that was my lunch on the go after that nice beach walk), go ahead and eat it.  If the answer was, no you wouldn't wrestle the seagull for the food it would swoop in and take, "let it go" as the Frozen song goes!

The Clearwater Beach Experience Takeaway

Mindfulness plays a huge role in healthy eating and losing and maintaining a healthy weight. The focus described in this blog post is exactly the kind of “stop and think” before you eat that needs to become part of your toolkit for successful healthy living.

P.S.  If you’d like more support with mindfulness and healthy eating so you can be as successful with your weight and overall health as you are in your business or career, please sign up for my free “5 Essential Keys to Healthy Weight Loss E-Course.”

If you’re ready to explore getting my personal support with your weight loss journey on the road to the happiest and healthiest you, I invite you to schedule your free weight loss breakthrough coaching session.

Please speak with your healthcare professional about your specific needs and to determine if Wellness Coaching is appropriate for you and before implementing any suggestions on this Your Healthy Life Made Easy Blog.  Individual results may vary and cannot be guaranteed.  Melanie Jordan is not liable for any loss or injury associated with information published on this blog as it is provided solely for your education and entertainment.