Developing mindful eating habits seems simple, but it can be one of the most powerful ways to find weight loss results and keep the weight off.
In this article, I will break down 3 mindful eating habits that can help you become your healthiest self. You can discover a new way of looking at food, and a higher sense of enjoyment of healthy foods. And the best part is- you can start right now!
Mindful Eating Techniques
What is the mindful eating approach?
The mindful eating approach is about letting go of the old habits of dieting. This includes counting, weighing, restriction, and judgement. Then it is about deciding to create a more balanced approach that cultivates deeper awareness of who you are, what you want your health to be, and how you will get there appropriately without dieting.
It is also about developing a sense of comfortability in your body and your mind. This is super important for self-esteem, self-acceptance, and overall fulfilment of your life.
Does mindful eating work?
This is a big question many people want to know, because mindful eating can sound a bit too good to be true. We live in a world that tells us to push ourselves to the limit, so stopping the strict rules and diets can seem to go against our better judgement.
But diets don’t work. You probably have tried many diets before without success. So even if you are skeptical of mindful eating works, then I urge you to keep learning and give it a try! I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
What is an example of mindful eating?
A simple example of mindful eating can be deciding to step away from your electronics during meals and snacks.. This means even your phone!
We are often extremely distracted while we eat. We often eat our meals too fast causing digestion problems, and we also do not savor our food nor enjoy it as much as we should. Many times we do not paying attention to our bodily cues that tell us when we are full. This leads to overeating and feeling dissatisfied after a meal.
What are three mindful eating habits?
Here are three mindful eating habits that I give my virtual wellness counselling clients to try when they are just starting mindful eating:
- Sit at a table or bar to eat and leave all distractions off – including TVs and cell phones.
- You don’t have to clean your plate! Once you start feeling the cues of fullness pause. Usually, it takes at least five minutes for your brain to catch up with the stomach. Save your leftovers if you feel wasteful for a snack!
- Start paying closer attention to where your food comes form. When we are more deeply aware of source of our food, we usually find a deeper appreciation for it. This makes us find more joy and contentment in our meals.
What are mindful eating techniques
Mindful eating techniques go a bit further than just daily habits. Mindful eating techniques are about creating a deeper awareness of how you think about, respond, and relate to food.
I coined my five pillars of mindful eating years ago, and I have taught many students in my Mindful Elimination Program and my wellness counselling clients how to use them to not only uncover better eating habits, but to also create better habits across all areas of their lives.
Get my free mindful eating worksheet to help you on your mindful eating journey!
Can Mindful Eating Help?
Mindful eating can help you lose weight, create a better relationship with food, and it can also help you create a better relationship with yourself. Mindful eating also encourages deeper fulfilment, greater gratitude and has been known to help with anxiety, stress reduction, and improve gastrointestinal issues.
CNN health experts say that mindful eating can be put into place as a daily habit in nearly everyone’s life because it is super versatile.
How do I start eating mindfully?
The first way you can start to eat mindfully is beginning with your senses. During your next meal, try to tune into how your food looks, smells, tastes and how you feel when you are eating it. Pay attention after eating the food. When we pay attention, we not only enjoy the food more through all our senses, we also learn what foods our body enjoys and rejects. If you are feeling not so great, bloated, tired or “off” after a meal – it may be time to look at taking something out of your diet.
You can learn more on how to do this with an elimination diet for better health.
Harvard Medical School suggests cutting out distractions as an easy way to begin eating mindfully now.
Does mindful eating cause weight gain?
I think if you are on a very restrictive diet then when you stop that restriction you would probably gain weight. This would likely happen whether you are eating mindfully or not. In the long run, mindful eating should not cause weight gain. Mindful eating is thought to be a very positive way to control weight in a balanced and healthy state.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is simply being aware, intentional, and present while doing anything – even just being still in a moment. It helps you learn about yourself and the world in a more meaningful way. Learn about mindfulness and its benefits!
5 Mindful eating questions to ask and reflect on to avoid overeating
Sometimes the best way to mindfully eat is just pausing and asking yourself the right questions.
Learn the 5 questions I teach my clients to help them learn to stop overeating.
