"Did I just eat that much?" "Why did I just eat that?" When you eat mindlessly, the quantity of food and the number of times you eat can take you by surprise. Whenever you ask yourself these questions, it's evident that mindless eating is present. Simply put mindless eating means your brain is not engaged in your eating.
Mindless eating may occur while reading, driving, studying, watching TV, socializing or doing any activity where you are concentrating on something other than eating. Before you know it, you've eaten more than you planned, or you had unplanned eating all together. Mindless eating is usually unsatisfying and leads to excess weight and ill health.
There are three times each year when people become more mindful eaters;
(1)In January
(2)At the beginning of spring
(3)In September, when the kids head back to school
Each of these calendar times signify a new beginning, and you may feel like it's the time of year to start new habits. But unfortunately, without follow-through, most people fall back into the old habit of eating mindlessly.
In order to gain insight into how often you eat mindless, I suggest you take one day or a week, and eat with your other hand. This act demands that your brain be engaged in your eating. It is unnatural for you to eat with your other hand so your brain must send a command to your hand to pick up food and put it into your mouth. This experiment will be an awakening for you, to how often you engage in mindless eating.
Another way to end mindless eating is to sit down each time you eat anything. Let it become unnatural for you to eat while standing. After suggesting this to a client to help curb her mindless eating, I received the following email from her:
"I have to tell you that when I tell my son it's time to eat he runs to his high chair. He knows at 16 (almost 17) months that you must be sitting down to eat."
Imagine your life if you never again ate mindlessly. You would truly desire and enjoy everything that you choose to eat. You can easily change your eating style by following these eight easy steps to mindful eating:
1.It's okay to be hungry. Hunger is not the enemy, over-stuffed is. Over-stuffed means overeating. Get comfortable with feeling hungry. It's your body telling you to eat. Continue to eat a balanced diet with the right amount of food for your body size.
2.Respect, praise and love your body at any weight, even today's weight. You'll take better care of your body when it is appreciated and not belittled.
3.When you find yourself asking, "What should I eat," change it to: "Why do I want to eat"? If you are hungry, eat. By asking a different question, the answer changes, leading you to a new, more productive response.
4.You are neither a good nor bad eater. Make everything you eat a deliberate choice, and every choice you make has either a benefit or consequence. Be willing to accept your choice, along with its result.
5.Drink water. Water is crucial to your good health. Often hunger is disguised as thirst, and mindlessly you eat when you are actually thirsty. Drinking water regularly each day will quench your thirst and eliminate the desire to eat mindlessly.
6.Stop making sparks with your knife and fork. Eat slowly while listening carefully to your breathing. When you begin to sigh or breathe heavier, your stomach is full but you don't know it yet. It's time to stop eating.
7.Begin to master both perseverance and patience. When you effectively take the time to practice the skills needed, mindless eating will be a thing of the past.
8.No more excuses. You either make excuses or you make it happen, but you can't do both. There is no end. This is a daily process and practice. Accept it knowing that the only day that matters is today, not a specific season or a date on the calendar. Your health, well-being, happiness or level of success will no longer be jeopardized by mindless eating.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.