How to Avoid Overindulging and Still Enjoying Special Treats with Mindful Eating
I believe in enjoying special treats and indulging mindfully, therefore, there are no taboo foods in my program. It takes time, patience and practice to change your relationship with food. Food is to be enjoyed, not feared. Mindful eating is a powerful tool to support managing your eating habits. It can help with weight loss, reducing binge eating, and eating to maintain overall health and well-being.
Mindful eating is about developing awareness of your experiences, physical cues, and feelings about food. Today’s fast-paced society offers people an abundance of food choices, and many people find it helpful to attend a seminar, online course, or workshop on mindfulness or mindful eating. But there are many simple ways to get started, some of which can have powerful benefits on their own.
Here are some tips on how to avoid overindulging and still enjoy special treats:
1. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly
Eating more slowly and chewing thoroughly can help you enjoy your food more and feel more satisfied with less food. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full, so eating slowly can help you avoid overeating.
2. Eliminate distractions
Eliminating distractions such as turning off the TV and putting down your phone can help you focus on your food and enjoy it more. When you are distracted, you are more likely to overeat because you are not paying attention to your body's signals.
3. Mindful Eating: Enjoy silence
Eating in silence can help you focus on your food and enjoy it more. It can also help you be more mindful of your body's signals and avoid overeating. After years and years of practicing (and teaching) mindful eating I can no longer eat while being plugged in to electronics. I used to be a "desk diner" - watching You Tube videos in the evening while eating. I now choose to enjoy my food and be present with what's on my plate. Silence has become a trusted companion. Give it a try!
4. Focus on how the food makes you feel
Focusing on how the food makes you feel can help you be more mindful of your body's signals and avoid overeating. If you eat something that makes you feel bad, you are less likely to eat it again in the future.
5. Stop eating when you’re full
Stopping eating when you’re full can help you avoid overeating and feel more satisfied with your meal. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full, so stopping when you are full can help you avoid overeating.
6. Delay the impulse to binge eat
If you are too rigid about what you can or can't eat, this can backfire and makes you more likely to rebel and binge eat. Delaying the impulse to binge eat and practicing harm reduction can help you avoid overindulging.
7. Choose to eat with awareness
Choosing to eat with awareness and gentle curiosity can help you avoid overindulging. When you are aware of your emotions and how they are affecting your eating habits, you are more likely to make healthier choices. Keep a 'food and mood' journal in order to identify the core triggers, which lead to emotional eating.
8. Truly savor your food
Truly savoring your food can help you enjoy it more and feel more satisfied with less food. When you savor your food, you are more likely to be mindful of your body's signals and avoid overeating.
In conclusion, mindful eating is a powerful tool to support managing your eating habits. It can help you avoid overindulging and still enjoy special treats. By eating slowly, eliminating distractions, eating in silence, focusing on how the food makes you feel, stopping when you’re full, delaying the impulse to binge eat, choosing to eat emotionally with awareness, and truly savoring your food, you can be more mindful of your body's signals and avoid overeating.
I am here to support you on your weight management and mindful eating journey!
With kindness,
Petra