You are what you consistently eat and drink. I am sure you have heard this popular statement about food intake. Its reference is mostly regarding mindless eating habits and the negative impact it has on the body. The good news is that mindless eating can be changed into mindful eating habits.
Before talking more about mindless eating, it’s important to know that no amount of exercise will fix unhealthy eating habits. In other words, you can’t out-exercise an unhealthy diet. What often occurs is an unhealthy food and exercise guilt cycle. In fact, disordered eating and obsessive exercise can potentially result from food guilt.
Why is eating right such a struggle? Much of the problem involves mindless eating.
What is Mindless Eating?
Mindless eating is consuming food without thinking. Unfortunately, eating this way eventually makes your body overweight and unhealthy. Many of us walk around without thinking and eat whatever food that just so happens to be there. No rhyme or reason but doing an auto-pilot action of putting something in your face.
Some scenarios include watching TV and mowing through a whole bag of chips without thinking. Another mindless offender is the work break room loaded with donuts and snacks. These are often brought back to the desk as you plug away at the computer.
Because of mindless eating, we fail to listen to our physical hunger or satiety cues and eat out of boredom or habit. This continued pattern of eating is not healthy for you or your expanding waistline.
Why is This Happening?
Mindless eating has become a national problem. As a result, the United States is plagued with the highest obesity rate leading to chronic illness. Mindless eating is a topic that should be at the forefront of our eating habits.
Every meal is an opportunity to nourish your health and fitness. However, we have dropped the ball not thinking before eating. Nutrition experts and psychologists indicate that people use food to cope with things like stress, emotional upset, and boredom. Moreover, the food choices often lack nutritional value and are consumed in large portions. Eating this way isn’t the answer to make you feel better.
Emotions can play a role in mindless eating according to experts. There is no amount of tasty donuts or pizza fixing an emotional problem. What it will accomplish is adding fat to your body and another reason to be stressed. If you are struggling with emotional eating, it is recommended to seek help from a qualified professional.
Most of the time, mindless eating is done out of habit and convenience. Your willpower is unable to say no to the food sitting in front of you. As a result, you consume lots of unhealthy food doing unhealthy things to your body.
Mindful Eating Can Help
Mindful eating begins with your ability to recognize unhealthy eating habits. Keeping a food journal to track your food intake may be helpful in this process. You will be able to start the process of mindful eating by taking food and behavior inventory.
Implementing a mindful attitude about eating is a helpful way to improve eating habits. Mindful eating is also shown to promote weight loss, reduce binge eating, and help you feel better overall.
Helpful Tips
The following are helpful tips to improve your nutrition and mindful eating:
- Remove junk food from the refrigerator and pantry and replace it with nutritious food
- Start an exercise program at least 4 to 5 times weekly
- Avoid blaming others for mindless eating
- Avoid eating unhealthy food brought into your home
- Think before you eat
- Eat slowly
- Listen to physical hunger cues and eat only until full
- Recognize emotional triggers vs true hunger
- Appreciate your food
- Eat to maintain health and well-being
- Pack healthy snacks for work
- Stay away from the work break room junk food
- Drink water if you feel the urge to eat without thinking
- Ask yourself if what you’re eating is helping or hurting your health
- Be mindful of alcohol intake and reduce or eliminate it
- Make a plan to eat healthily and stick to it
- Keep a food journal and be honest with yourself
As a personal trainer and coach for over 30 years, I share videos and posts specific to the importance of aging well through proper fitness and nutrition on my Instagram page. I look forward to having you as a follower.
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