There has been one key ingredient to my 30lb weight loss and continued health over the years even after having three babies – that is learning mindful eating techniques.
I was a serial dieter, always jumping on the bandwagon of the next best diet to follow. It ruined my relationship with my body and it ruined my relationship with food. I never could eat without judging what I was eating and how I looked after I ate.
Plus, I always felt terrible after eating. I was bloated, disconnected, an over-eater, and an emotional eater. When I learned how to mindfully eat, my whole life changed.
After studying for years, I have put together what I believe to be the easiest steps to learning to implement mindful eating in my life. I am excited to share this with you! On top of that, I will be sharing a mindful eating worksheet you can use to help you stay on track.
What Is Mindful Eating?
Mindful eating is first about deciding to eat in a way that leads you into the direction that you want your life to go. That means having a deep awareness about what foods you put into your body and if they serve you on your path in life.
It is also about accepting that eating experiences are sometimes positive. But, they can also be negative when we eat from a reactionary state to satisfy an emotional need.
When you eat mindfully you make choices without judgment or punishment of yourself. It is about having a beginner’s mind surrounding food and how we eat, nourish, and enjoy the experience.
Mindful eating is eating with a deep appreciation for the opportunity to nourish the body, to tune into your inner wisdom, and having respect for your life’s journey.
Benefits of Mindful Eating
Here is a list of all the great advantages of implementing mindful eating in your life.
- Stop judging your health based on diet culture – “good and bad foods”
- Tune into how your body feels and stop stressing about a certain number on a scale
- Learn what foods your body can tolerate, enjoy, and function best on
- Start eating until nourished and satisfied – break the habit of “cleaning our plates” or “eating because it’s there”
- Become less wasteful with food
- Be more connected to how everything you do including your thoughts, eating habits, and the words you speak all connect to your quality of life
Tips for Eating Mindfully
Eating mindfully can be the way to change your life surrounding food. It can help take you out of diet culture and into freedom. Though it sounds abstract, eating mindfully is simple and can be put into work in your life immediately and efficiently.
Use Worksheets
Using a worksheet can be an easy way to learn how to eat mindfully and help you discover and uncover where your hang-ups are around food, presence, and inner peace.
Part of eating mindfully is about learning to know yourself better than ever before. That knowing will also spill out in many areas of your life, and you will see a lot of positive change.
Make Checklists
Below is my checklist for implementing the pillars of mindful eating. In my work as a wellness counselor and in my Mindful Elimination Program, I teach many people how going through these mindfulness pillars when eating can change the way that they relate to food.
5 Pillars of Mindfulness
Here is my list of the five pillars of mindfulness that are critical in order to have success and change your life through mindful eating.
Awareness
Mindful eating is about being in the moment with your food. Awareness means that you are present and trying to be in the here and now.
So often we eat without paying attention. Then we overeat or eat things that do not do our bodies well. Awareness is the first step to learning to eat more mindfully.
Acceptance
Acceptance with mindful eating is about being okay with what is happening in that moment. Accepting just what is in front of you, even if you aren’t happy or excited about it.
Non-judgment
Part of diet culture has taught us to label things as “good and bad”, this creates an all or nothing yo-yo diet mentality surrounding food. I like to say eating in a non-judgment means no labels.
Stop trying to be good and bad and start just eating the way that is best for you and your body.
Beginner’s Mind
Mindful eating means having a beginner’s mind. This means that you try to enjoy and taste food like it is the first time you’ve ever had it – every time.
This brings so much more pleasure to your plate. Try to chew and take your time and pick out the flavors. By doing this you give your body time to catch up with your brain, and usually it will cause you to feel satisfied before you overeat.
Gratitude
Being truly grateful for food, part of what keeps you alive, really changes the way that you eat. We take for granted the overabundance of food that we have.
We often never think about where our food comes from or how it lands on our plates. Taking time for gratitude brings your food full circle and allows you to connect with eating on a deeper level. Sounds a bit woo-woo, but it is a game changer!
Why Mindful Eating Worksheets & Checklists Are Important For Success
Being able to work on mindfulness and mindful eating with a worksheet can help you take abstract ideas and put them to work in your life. I love writing and journaling, it is a way to sift through some of the clutter in my head and get things out in a way where I can learn about how I think and feel.
Using a mindful eating worksheet can help you understand your relationship with food so much more!
Grab Your Mindful Eating Worksheet PDF Now
So, if you want to get started practicing mindful eating, the first step would be to get this FREE Mindfulness Workbook that includes multiple worksheets for uncovering and discovering how mindful eating can help you ditch the diet mentality and begin to work toward a better relationship with food.
Just fill out the form below.
If you have decided to eat mindfully, using a good mindful eating worksheet and checklist will be vital to your success.
Learning more about mindful eating can change your life and the way that you relate to food. Remember to implement the 5 pillars of mindfulness, use your free worksheet, and start changing your relationship with food forever.
