If you just can’t understand why you are piling on the kilos, you might be a victim of mindless eating! These 7 simple tips can get you on the right track and you become a mindful eater.

1. Adopt an Eating Protocol

We need to honour our bodies by making healthy and nourishing food choices. Get into the habit of eating nutrient-dense foods that have a high water margin. It is key to avoid biostatic and biocidic foods such as processed, boxed, fried and junk foods which harm the body.

2. Be Present

Be present with the senses of taste, smell and experience. To do this, eat at a designated place – not infront of your TV, on your couch or in your bed. Eating in these places actually influences you to eat more than you otherwise would simply because you are too distracted to realize that you aren’t feeling hungry anymore!

3. Be Aware

It takes the brain 20 minutes to receive a signal from the stomach that it is satiated. For someone that isn’t paying attention to the food they are ingesting, this signal can be delayed. This results in overeating. Take your time to sit, chew and allow your stomach to send the satiety signals in 20 minutes. Not only will this force you to be more aware of what you are eating but it will also ensure you control your food portions.

4. Proportion Control

Now that we’ve talked about portion control, it is also important to remember proportion control. Striking a healthy balance when eating raw and cooked foods ensures a healthy digestive system. Try to fill your plate using this winning formula the next time you’re eating: 1/3 salad, 1/3 protein or carbs and 1/3 soups.

5. Eat Colourful

The pigments in coloured fruits and vegetables provide the body with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that even supplements can’t. Eating a variety of foods ensures you provide your body with natural nourishment.

6. Eat Seasonal

It goes without saying that seasonal foods will be more fresh. It is also more likely that they are grown without human assistance i.e.: free of pesticides, chemicals and preservatives. Eating by the season as intended, connects us with nature, gives our body what it naturally needs and makes sure that we are always eating fresh, nourishing food.

7. Set Long Term Goals

Although crash diets show immediate results, can it really be long term? You need to commit to a lifestyle of eating healthy, eating mindfully and eating well which can only be done over a period of time and with a lot of patience.

Mindful Eating is resetting your mind towards what you are eating. It is being more present while eating, being more aware about what you are eating and making choices that will ultimately nourish your body.

Practicing Mindful Eating is beneficial to all – including children. Guiding children on how to eat better at a younger age will to avoid issues such as obesity and unhealthy food relationships when they grow up. This is not a diet rather it will you to create a healthy relationship with food. In fact, research has shown that Mindful Eating gives more promising results than dieting.

So don’t be deterred if you don’t see immediate results. By following these simple steps, you are already honouring your body and are on your way to leading a healthy life.

Hungry for more? Contact Us today to find out about joining our Mindful Eating Program.

About the Author: With over 20 years of experience in Clinical Psychotherapy working with a broad cross-section of international clients in Singapore and India ranging from celebrities, teachers, homemakers, teenagers, couples, CEOs and executives, Nivedita Ramanujam offers holistic medical psychotherapy embracing mainstream psychotherapy with philosophy and mindfulness meditation.