Throw out your old notions of what you can and cannot eat. Through a process called mindful eating, you can eat what you love, enjoy it completely, and simply eat less of it because you slow down and pay attention while you are eating.
Eating mindfully is eating with awareness. So many of us mindlessly eat in front of the television, while driving or while surfing on the Internet, and by doing so, we end up eating way more than we intended to eat.
If you're eating while you are distracted, you aren't listening to the internal cues that your body is giving you. Your body knows when to stop eating so you can maintain a healthy weight. The key is in setting yourself up in an eating situation so you can listen to these cues.
Mindful eating happens when you pay attention to how the food is making you feel. It's a process of enjoying the sensory experiences associated with eating food. You should be present in the moment and experience each bite as it happens. It's very similar to watching your breath in yoga or meditation.
Here are four must-know tips for success with mindful eating.
1. Eat only when you are hungry. Your body's hunger is a natural cue that you need nutrition. True hunger is different from a craving. You should feel hungry in your gut and not just feel like you need to eat because you should. Most people need to eat every three to five hours.
2. Follow your cravings, within reason. You should eat what you want to eat, as long as it's not overly unhealthy. Although mindful eating is not designed to be a weight loss plan, you should try to find healthy alternatives for what you are craving.
Try to focus on the sensations you are craving. For example, the salty, fried taste of French fries can be replaced with some roasted potato wedges. If you can pinpoint the experience you are craving, you can often find a healthier alternative.
As you continue to practice mindful eating, you are likely to find that it's the whole, nutritious food that your body finds truly delicious. Your taste buds will savor fresh raspberries, for example, and might find a fried donut kind of yucky when you are really paying attention to the flavor.
3. Eat without distractions. If you normally make a habit of eating in front of the television or while driving, you need to change your eating habits. You should sit down and comfortably eat your meal in a leisurely fashion. Don't rush through your meal or you'll end up eating more than your body really needs. Eat each bite slowly and deliberately so you can savor each flavor and texture of the food you are eating.
4. Stop eating when you are full. When you practice mindful eating, you'll come to recognize a state where you are comfortably full but not stuffed. You shouldn't feel discomfort after eating. If your stomach feels too big you have eaten too much. Be sure to stop throughout the meal and ask yourself if you are really still hungry or if you are just eating out of habit.
By practicing these techniques for mindful eating you will be able to regain a healthy weight and enjoy the food you eat even more. Enjoy your new healthy habit!
Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com, where you'll find reviews and coupons for popular online diet plans, including Nutrisystem Coupons. You can also see her online diet recommendation.
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