Mindfulness: One of the Keys to Healthy Eating
As you are making healthy changes to how you are eating, it is important to enjoy your food while being mindful of the frequency and quantity. Often people feel that to lose weight they can never eat their favorite snack or dessert again. This feeling of restriction can lead to overeating those foods that were labeled as forbidden. Some feel they need to eat large portions to truly feel full and satisfied only to feel stuffed later. Instead, aim for balance.
First off, the goal is to enjoy what you eat! If you do not enjoy what you eat, the likelihood of you sticking with a plan is going to decline. There are so many food choices and preparation options out there to explore. Your food does not need to be bland! It’s important to be mindful of how much you eat. One way to manage both the enjoyment of eating and quantity is to savor your food. Again, you should enjoy what you eat! Chew your food well, pay attention to the various flavors, and take your time. You took the time to prepare a great meal, so enjoy the experience.
While enjoying the experience of eating, use the time to also tune in to how you feel. If you often find yourself eating quickly, it may be difficult to know when you are truly still hungry or in fact full. It takes your brain approximately 20 minutes to get the signal from your stomach that you are full. When you eat too fast, you may find that you are still feeling hungry at the end of the meal. This is because your brain has not yet received the cues that you are full, and by the time it does, you may now be feeling over-stuffed. Instead, stop eating after one serving and wait to see if you are still hungry. Slow down, chew well, pay attention to how your food tastes and how you feel. It won’t be easy at first, but with time, you will be able to more easily identify when you are full and satisfied versus stuffed and miserable.
So how does this help with eating your favorite desserts? Mindfulness! As you get better with the skills mentioned above, they can be applied to eating foods that in the past you felt were forbidden. It is still not encouraged to enjoy unhealthy foods often, but when you do, these skills will help you to truly enjoy the smaller amounts. This should not feel as if you have sabotaged yourself but will allow you to mindfully eat and enjoy them.
Eating should be enjoyable and in appropriate portions and frequency. Mindfulness allows you to enjoy your food and be more attuned to your body’s satiety level so that you do not overeat. Take some time to practice some of the mindfulness techniques mentioned and for additional ideas and support reach out to one of our dietitians.
Add Comment