Saturday, June 6, 2020
Despite what many of us have been told, successful weight loss is about more than just diet and exercise. While these are the two most important methods for losing weight, if you struggle to maintain them long-term, you will not end up with the results you had been hoping for. When it comes to maintaining a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle, mindfulness plays an integral role. Once you understand how to use mindfulness for weight loss, there won’t be a fitness goal that you can’t achieve!
What is Mindfulness?
Being mindful means that you’re aware of your current state. That includes your emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations. Being in tune with how and what you’re feeling can help you feel centered, which will permit you to make better choices in many aspects of life, including weight loss.
Mindfulness for Weight Loss
How exactly does mindfulness apply to weight loss? Mindfulness can help you feel less anxious and more focused, which can positively affect decision making. Learning how to cope with difficult emotions and stressful situations can help you control problematic eating behaviors associated with negative feelings. It can also improve your relationship with food.
5 Tips for a Healthier Lifestyle
If you’ve ever struggled with unhealthy eating habits or behaviors, we have good news: Regularly practicing the mindfulness tips below will teach you how to cope with negative feelings and rise above them. That means you can reach your weight loss goals!
1. Focus on Each Meal
Have you ever eaten a meal while watching TV or scrolling through social media on your phone? I’d guess that every single one of us does this fairly regularly. So what’s the problem with this? If we’re not controlling portions to begin with, it can lead to overeating. Before you know it, you look down, and your plate is empty!
Instead, try putting away any and all distractions and focus on your food. You don’t have to clear your plate. When you’re full, stop eating. You don’t have to throw it away either; box it up and save it for later! This can help you reduce calorie intake and increase weight loss.
2. Slow Down
Breathing and concentration are two of the foundational elements of mindful meditation. This can apply to all aspects of life, but it’s particularly important when it comes to eating. In addition to focusing on your meal, try to slow down while you’re eating it. Chew your food, and enjoy the taste of it. Digestion begins in the mouth, and chewing well will help improve digestion while keeping your appetite in check.
3. Recognize How the Food that You Eat Makes You Feel
Believe it or not, the food we eat can have an impact on the way we feel. For instance, have you ever eaten something that you thought would make you feel better, but it only ends up making you feel worse? On the contrary, have you ever chosen a salad over a big juicy cheeseburger? If so, you probably felt pretty good about yourself afterward!
Keep track of these kinds of things, and write them down if you like. When you acknowledge how different foods make you feel, you will be more inclined to make healthy choices the next time around!
4. Plan Ahead
Part of being mindful is taking the time to think about the future. Try to make a conscious effort to plan ahead, especially when it comes to your meals. Planning and preparing healthy food ahead of time will help you stay on track to your goals. This also greatly reduces your chances of emotional eating! You have an effective plan of attack, so be sure to stick to it.
5. Forgive Yourself
We’re only human. You will make mistakes, that’s okay! It’s not the bump in the road that matters; it’s what you take away from it. You can’t change the past, but you can learn from it. Forgive yourself, move on, and do your best to make healthy choices the next time around.
What did you think about these tips on mindfulness for weight loss? Do you have any helpful ideas that we left out? Share them in the comment section below!