How can we begin to incorporate mindful Eating into our lives? Here are 6 tips to get started:

1. Let go of your food stories and challenge the food police.

Our old conditioning and our thoughts can tell us things like- I can eat only foods with nil grams of fat! Carbohydrates are bad. I blew it and had a piece of cake for dessert, I might as well eat it all now!! I feel like such a loser! Now I’m off my diet. I might as well keep eating now, and start over again tomorrow!

In order to move forward, we can slowly begin to tweak our thoughts around our the diet mentality. These are rules and regulations that overcomplicate matters and they are coming from other peoples opinion someone  else’s plan.

Take time to invest in your health, research foods you enjoy, and be mindful of how these foods affect your body, not just how they satisfy your taste buds.

2. Use your senses, use your taste buds.

You could begin to breathe deeply before eating. Become aware of your breathing and notice your breath Take five slow breaths at the start of each meal to center and focus. Notice and experience the appearance, texture, and aroma of food before you even put it in your mouth. Then taste it, feel it on your tongue and against your teeth as you chew, and pay attention to every particle, enjoy every morsel, see the difference this makes, have you ever really tasted food like this before?

3. Think “passing through”

Whenever your body is craving that evening snack or that sugary treat, sit for a few moments, or slowly take a glass of water and sip it slowly, being aware of your surroundings, think of what foods that really nourish you, slowly pass by your kitchen and start , giving in to your body’s cravings without the guilt by using your breath and choosing to cherish yourself & nourish your mind, body and spirit, ask yourself what do you need in this moment to make yourself feel better, maybe go for breath of fresh air, read a book, have a cup of tea, your craving will pass.

4. Let go of the “Finish Your Plate” mentality. 

Eat the amount your body tells you it needs. Don’t overindulge because it’s on your plate; simply take note of how you feel. Remember, you can always have more food later. Stop, take a breath, observe and then proceed,  do not deprive yourself! stock up on nourishing healthy foods and then you will find you have more choice and you will not miss meals or try to save calories which inevitably leads to overeating!

5. Get enough sleep!

You should aim to get to sleep for 6 to 8 hours per day. This will help your body to replenish itself and give your body time to rebuild its cells. Lack of sleep makes you feel tired and affects your eating habits. If you are tired, you are more likely to crave sugar the next day as you try to stay awake. Adequate sleep is essential for your overall health and well-being.

6. Mindfully go!

Making small tweaks to your daily eating plan, will lead you to place of ease, calm and can release your emotional attachment to food! Taking One Moment at a time, will build up to minutes, hours, days, and weeks and you will start to notice you don’t have to make big changes in your life to a have big results.

Go Gently, Go Mindfully, see the and love the person your really are.