The Benefits of Developing a Mindful Eating Practice
A mindful eating practice can lead to optimal health and well-being because it allows you to decide how best to nourish, fuel, and hydrate your body while balancing this with eating for enjoyment. A practice is something you return to again and again because of its intrinsic value, such as increased energy, better self-care, making peace with food, and truly enjoying the food you eat.
Creating a mindfulness practice allows you to observe—without judgment—your thoughts, emotions, and internal cues. It is observing what is happening in the present moment and taking note of it. It is listening and truly hearing the information that your body gives you. Mindfulness enables you to honor yourself and your internal wisdom. It is a positive and gentle mindset that will allow you to continue to return to the practice of mindfulness and reap the benefits it provides.
Mindfulness can also be described as taking a curiosity stance. Curiosity enables you to learn from all your experiences (both positive and negative), it gives you choices and reduces judgment (e.g., judging yourself and/or others). Staying curious allows you to observe what is happening in the present moment without judgment so that you can respond to the messages you are receiving rather than react to them.
What is Mindful Eating?
Mindful eating is eating with the intention of caring for yourself and eating with the attention necessary for noticing and enjoying your food and its effects on your body.
Mindfulness is being fully in the present moment so that you can listen and honor your body’s signals of hunger and fullness. This allows you to use your hunger and satiety cues to decide when to start and end eating. Eating mindfully enables you to determine the reasons why you eat. It puts you in charge of when you will eat, the types of foods you choose to enjoy, the amount of food that is best for you, and how you will eat the food you have selected (mindfully vs. mindlessly). A mindfulness practice enables you to remain curious and experiment to determine the best way to nourish and fuel your body. This is a realistic approach to healthy eating and living that can be maintained for life.
Think. Fuel. Excel. TM
Think: Why do I eat?
The first step to reaching your optimal health is to be aware of the reasons why you eat. Thinking about why you eat will help you eat mindfully and make conscious decisions about how you nourish your body.
Fuel: What foods and drinks do I consume to nourish and fuel my body for optimal health and well-being?
All foods fit based on the four principles of eating: balance, variety, moderation, and enjoyment.
Excel: How does mindful eating optimize my well-being?
By developing a mindful eating practice and gently using accurate nutrition knowledge, you will enjoy optimal well-being and excel at life.
To learn more about applying the simple message of Think. Fuel. Excel. TM to sports nutrition, visit: /sports-nutrition/
This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance.
