Is your food environment sabotaging your waistline? Adopting mindful eating for better health and weight management is a concept that many researchers are studying more in depth.
Before I became truly mindful of my body’s needs, I was controlled by my visual cues from the Cooking channel, internet food porn, office birthday parties, advertisements, oversized restaurant portions (all contributors to my food environment). Sound familiar?
The UC Berkeley Wellness Letter reports ” Be aware of the effects of tantalizing food images. Just viewing pictures of food boosted blood levels of gherlin, a hormone associated with increased hunger and food intake, in a small study in obesity. And in a large study in appetite, dieters, in particular, snacked on more candy while watching a food-related TV show.”
What does this mean for you? Adopt meditative behaviors that increase your awareness and decrease distraction.
- Don’t eat at your desk
- Don’t eat in front of the TV
- Acknowledge when you are stressed or emotional
- Choose nourishing foods rather than junk foods
- Recognize external triggers that may cause you to mindlessly eat
Check out Dr. Susan Albers. She has a bunch of great resources including books and meditations on her site that will help you get in the practice of mindful eating.