Harnessing Mindfulness for Weight Loss

The weight loss struggle is real, and everyone has their own set of reasons for not being able to maintain the weight that they lose. The restrictions are often unsustainable and they inevitably ditch the diet. Others are unable to control their portions. Most people just lose motivation. There is a mindful alternative. 

There is no end to the weight loss plans out there from focusing on daily calorie count, fasting, or macros to boost your calorie burn rate. They miss though the major element that you must know and understand to keep the weight off – why you are eating, what your body requires, and what supports you in the long run.

Mindful eating is all about discovering what is right for your body and what doesn’t really work. Its core focus is to help connect you with what is driving your eating habits, what your body’s needs really are, and maintaining healthy eating habits that support those needs. It is a more comprehensive and internally focused approach with the intent of lessening the fluctuations in weight gain and loss over time.

An important component of this approach is understanding what your body is trying to tell you. It can take some time to learn how to read your body’s signals of hunger and fullness, for instance, but don’t let that discourage you. It can be cultivated like any other skill. Once you train your mind to connect with your body, you will trust yourself and your eating decisions more.

Mindful eating practices – such as, eating slowly, fully chewing, reducing portions, connecting with your body’s hunger and fullness signals – are the building blocks of an overall healthy habits journey.

How can you cultivate more mindful eating and move yourself out of the diet culture? Gradually. Integrating, step by step, new habits into your daily life.

P.S. If you are ready to dip your toe into mindful eating, sign up for my FREE 5-Day Mindful Eating Email Series.