Imagine what it would be like to lose weight without the struggle and without giving up your favorite foods, to be able to enjoy a slice of pizza, a warm dinner roll, a piece of chocolate without experiencing that familiar tug-of-war between your desire and your willpower. 

Think of how freeing it would be if you could truly savor a delicious treat without guilt and without worrying that, once you start, you won't be able to stop.

Is this possible? Could this become your reality? Yes, it can! Mindful eating has shown me the way and so many thousands of women and men who have worked through the MB EAT program, that I now lead here at Marin Weight Loss & Wellness.

I show you how to move away from pure calorie counting that usually comes with the 'good' food - 'bad' food approach, which ends up making you feel good or bad, depending on what you choose. This choice between the two options becomes an inner conflict and if you are 'bad', you make self 'bad' and then the spiral of guilt and shame comes in, which usually precedes more 'bad' choices....

So how do you say yes to small portions of calorie dense foods and stop saying no?

So you need to look at what you believe is forbidden, especially desserts, fried foods, snacks, chips, cookies, ice cream etc. All these foods have something in common, they have an addictive combination of sweetness, fattiness and or saltiness. Assuming you're not too hungry, could you savor half a cookie, a handful of corn chips, a spoonful of ice cream, a square of chocolate? Or would you be tempted to have just a little more? 

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Breaking the Habit of Mindless Eating

After you have been through the mindful eating training you really can see that you can stop, you can enjoy, you can allow, at just the right moments, to have these types of foods. You lean in to your inner connoisseur.

It does however take a new approach and lots of practice about understanding your inner body wisdom. Yes your body does give you the queues but you haven't been taught how to listen.

We have hunger signals, fullness signals, body satiety signals and taste satiety signals, you just need to understand what to listen for, when to start, when to stop.

This inner wisdom combined with your outer wisdom gives you a whole new plethora of resources you can utilize to make different types of decisions based on what your needs are. 

You start to lean into self-care and self-regulation and move away from will power or rigid self control, where you still want to keep on eating, but you force yourself to stop.

Through self-regulation, you mindfully assess whether you're still hungry or deriving pleasure from the food, and if not, you consciously choose to move on. There is no struggle, you can always have more later and you will actually enjoy it more.

Ways to Integrate Mindful Eating into Your Daily Habits

Eat Without Distractions: Turn off the TV, put away your phone, and create a dedicated space for meals. This allows you to focus on the act of eating and savor each bite.

Chew Thoroughly: Chew your food slowly and thoroughly, allowing ample time for proper digestion. This not only aids in digestion but also gives your body the chance to signal when it's satisfied.

Use All Your Senses: Engage your senses by paying attention to the colors, smells, and textures of your food. This can enhance the overall eating experience and make you more conscious of what you're consuming.

Pause Between Bites: Put your fork down between bites and take a moment to assess your level of fullness. This simple practice can prevent overeating and promote a healthier relationship with food.

Our Mindful Eating Program 

The core building blocks of the MB-EAT program I teach are;

1. Meditation and mindfulness

2. The power of tuning in to your body and mind

3. Embracing, rather than fighting the positive value of food

4. The power of science to show how these make a difference

The MB- EAT program was created by Jean Kristeller PhD, professor emeritus of psychology at Indiana State University and is backed by 30 years of research in meditation based treatments for eating disorders and obesity. Kristeller, has published 50 research articles in peer reviewed journals and is one of the founders and past presidents of the Center for Mindful Eating.

Interested and want to find out more? Book a consultation with me to take you through the process. The program is 16 weeks of exercises, with guided meditations, many of these with different types of food, lots of self discovery and inner reflections, moving away from judgement and into a curious attention around your behavior and modifying the old patterns that no longer serve you.

Wishing you love and light!