The art of mindfulness can be a powerful tool for people struggling with mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. It can be useful for anyone – remember we’re all at risk of poor mental health. Prevention is better than cure!
If you’ve not come across mindfulness before, it’s about taking the time to stop, breathe and just observe what’s going on in and around you, without judgement.
Here are three ways mindfulness can help you feel better & feel happier with your eating habits too:
1. Planning meals can save money, time and stress
Mindful eating is something I recommend to all my VIP one-to-one clients. The first step of mindful eating is planning your meals. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about planning every single meal – in our house we only plan our evening meals each week. It takes about 10-15 minutes to think about what you are doing during the week and decide what meals would fit in with what you’re doing. Then you can plan what food you need to buy and get the food shopping done in one go each week. If you’re anything like me it could take away a load of stress and time wasted each night wondering what on earth you’re going to have. Not to mention all that time that could be wasted making trips to the shops to get food in.
By planning in advance and making a shopping list, you’ll also save money (as long as you stick to just buying what’s on the list!). It saves food wastage too. It doesn’t sound like much, but if you have a hectic life then it’s one less thing to think about!
Which brings me nicely on to my next point…
2. Living in the moment can help you change your focus
If you have a busy hectic life, it is easy to work on autopilot and end up feeling dissatisfied with life. Or making the same ‘mistakes’ time and time again. By practicing mindfulness regularly, you can take some time to unwind even if it’s just for a few minutes each day. It’s about pressing the metaphorical pause button and just asking yourself a few questions about how you are feeling. Thinking about what’s going on around you and observing things as they are, without judgement.
You might find that by taking that step back to just be aware of things, you may see the answers to something you’re struggling with. Or simply taking that minute to breathe and take notice, helps you to feel calmer on a difficult day. It’s also a chance to reflect on the positives around you no matter how small. Take the time to think about the things you feel grateful for – you can change from being a pessimist to an optimist, it just takes practice!
3. Mindful eating can help you to enjoy your food again and manage your weight
Focusing mindfulness on your eating can really help you feel in control of your eating. Take your time to savour the flavours, sights and smells of your food, whether it’s a meal or a treat. This helps you learn to enjoy your food again. By enjoying your food and removing the guilt from eating you are less likely to get stuck in a binge-eating cycle. Slow down at mealtimes and pay attention to how you feel. Listening to your body will help you to stop eating when you feel satisfied rather than regularly over-eating.
How could you work mindfulness into your day?
Need help to ditch dieting forever? Want to eat normally again AND lose weight healthily ..? While still enjoying the cake & chocolate? Hell yes!
I can help you ditch dieting forever, either with my 1-2-1 support. Or if you prefer to work independently, you can learn all the skills I teach my 1-2-1 clients, on my ‘No More Diets’ online course.
