This sure plays a key role in sustainable weight-loss journey . Today I’ll be writing on the practice of mindful eating .

So what is mindful eating ? It’s about paying attention , being fully present in the moment while we are eating so we enjoy this experience of eating . It’s actually a great and helpful tool for anyone who wants a successful weight-loss journey that’s sustainable

Benefits :

• It enables us as individuals to pay full attention to our body’s hunger cues ( recognise when we are hungry )
• It enables us as individuals to pay attention to our bodies fullness cues ( recognise when we are full so we don’t overeat and gain unnecessary weight)
• It actually helps us make conscious good food choices
• It helps us savour and enjoy our food
• All these benefits are not only good for a sustainable weight-loss but also in enjoying the gift of food and eating .

How can we practice mindful eating ?

Eat slowly ! It’s important to take time to chew each and enjoy bite. When we eat slowly , we full satiated and this prevent overeating . This also helps us digest our food properly as digestion starts in the mouth .

We need to listen to our bodies so we know when we are really hungry and eat then instead of mindless snacking and eating out of boredom .

We need to eliminate distractions such as our phones , tablets and TV so we can focus on our eating

The importance of awareness when eating can’t be overstated. When we aren’t aware of our emotions like stress or pain etc , we find ourselves turning to food to meet those emotions

We need to avoid putting ourselves in restrictive and fad diets as this can be counter productive. Following a healthy diet that’s full of a variety of nourishing meals that we enjoy will prevent us from binge eating and keep us full for longer . It’s ok to treat ourselves once in a while to “bad meals” but in moderation

Practicing gratitude for our meals helps moves our minds from a scarcity mentality that may lead us overeating to an abundance mindset that knows that there’s always plenty food , hence no need to gobble down food and overeat

Our environment where we eat also plays a role . Sitting down to eat in a peaceful environment that’s free of stress and distractions , nice crockery , great aroma and taste sure leads to mindful eating . We don’t have to eat out before we create such great environments that promote mindful eating.

Seeking support from family , friends and healthcare professionals who act as cheerleaders definitely promote mindful eating on this journey .

Finally we need to be kind and compassionate to ourselves when we miss it during our weight-loss journey because as human beings we will . It’s better to focus on progress and not perfection as we celebrate every victory no matter how small .

Do feel free to respond to leave your comments wishing everyone on this journey good success