The Power of Mindful Eating: How to Transform Your Relationship with Food

You ever wonder what is mindful eating and how do I do it? You begin right here! To make it more fun as you read this, take ginger shots every time you read the word mindful. (Just kidding, lol. Unless you really want to and if you do, let me know how it goes)

Let's start with what does it mean to be mindful. To be mindful, is to be aware and conscious, without judgment of what is taking place in the present moment with your mind, body, and feelings. When we become aware of our present moment without any judgment, we can "consciously respond, with clarity and focus, rather than act out of a habitual pattern." (https://www.habitsforwellbeing.com/the-four-foundations-of-mindfulness/ )

A mindful lifestyle is comprised of mindfulness throughout your life and its many obstacles. Decisions that you make are clear and intentional rather than influenced by physical urges, people, and the environment. You are consciously aware of what you are doing and why you are doing it. This concept is then applied to how you eat and now you have mindful eating. Eating mindfully removes the attachment to food solely for pleasure. I know you want to enjoy your food and you will! However, you also want your food to provide nourishment and sustenance, not illness and ailments. This is something to be mindful of when selecting foods to eat. It is critical to understand how that food will serve you or how it won't. Also practice giving yourself grace, kindness, and understanding. You may not get it right every time and mindful options may not always be available to you. Most importantly, do not give up. If you recognize that you are not making the best decisions for the lifestyle that you want to lead, acknowledge it and then change your mindset.

"I have not been eating the best foods lately and I acknowledge that. Going forward, I will make the conscious decision to chose healthier foods." That's why mental clarity and mindful practices are important because it's not just what you eat but it is the mental strength to make those choices for the body to follow.

If you made it this far, you are on your way to more mindful eating. Stick with us and we will go over more about foods to eat and how to make them delicious. We know you're thinking it. You are not giving up as much as you think. I challenge you to start the journey. You can always go cold turkey and switch to a whole-foods plant based diet or you can take baby steps and follow our three step process of cleansing, replacing, and maintaining. The goal is to make mindful eating manageable but also incorporating it into a mindful lifestyle so that it is a part of your life rather than just something to do.

The last thing I'll mention is have your why. For me it was my health, but more than that, my children. I felt they were young enough to have a great head start in feeding their bodies and minds and maybe preventing them from having to experience consequences of harmful foods. And as they grow into adulthood, even if their mentality shifts, I want them to know they always have the tools they need within them. And that's what I want to teach and show them.