Mindful Eating “Mindful” Eating Is So Essential
The best part of being a registered dietitian is helping people get to a healthier version of themselves. A huge misconception in my field is that going to a registered dietitian will mean restriction. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most diets don’t work or work for a while, but for lasting, healthy results you should consider the benefits of “mindful” eating.
“Mindless” eating is usually the real culprit behind weight gain and a host of other health issues so prominent in our communities and in our culture. If you listen to the latest fads on eliminating carbohydrates, eating to be in ketosis , or doing intermittent fasting, this “advice” will have you stressing about combining foods, eating within a certain time frame, or exhausted from trying to manipulate your macronutrients. We have enough stress in our current environment without trying to twist ourselves into pretzels to adhere to a dietary plan that requires eliminating food groups or being regulated by the clock on the wall rather than our “internal” clock.
In most cases, it is not the meals we eat that cause weight gain. It is thesnacking while watching television or when we are on autopilot and notreally thinking about what we are eating. Most of our food decisions have todo with stress, anxiety, or emotions.
What can “mindful” eating do for you? It may promote healthy weight losswhich will bring your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure down toboot. Being “mindful” produces tangible results such as being more satisfiedwith your food, recognizing when you are comfortably full which preventsovereating, better digestion, and better energy. Being “mindful” helps youmake better food choices because it helps you think about your foodchoices and how they affect you. It will also help you dial down stressbecause it requires of us to be in the moment. It teaches us about ourselvesand makes us take responsibility for ourselves which no fad diet can do sowe can have lasting results.
How do you practice “mindfulness”? Pay attention to what you are eating by enjoying the smell, sight and taste of your food. Eat slowly!! Ask yourself: is this something I really want? Does it satisfy my taste buds? The answers will help you make healthier choices. When you eat do nothing but eat and put
away distractions. Pay attention to the cues your body is sending you. Do you recognize hunger and/or being comfortably full? Push away from the table when you are “comfortably” full. When you have the urge to eat ask yourself if you are physically or emotionally hungry. If you are eating emotionally, try to find another way to soothe yourself. All of this takes practice but the results are worth it. Discuss this with your registered dietitian. Start feeling better, eating better and dealing with your stress in more productive ways. It is worth the effort!
