The Role of Mindful Eating in Weight Loss: How to Tune in to Your Body's Needs

Gone are the days of fad diets and restriction – you can still lose weight by listening to your body! By following a few tips and learning more about your body, you can incorporate mindful eating with weight loss.

Understand hunger cues

We’ve all misinterpreted hunger cues before. Sometimes when we’re surrounded by other people snacking or feeling bored or stressed, we suddenly experience a wave of “hunger”. The easiest thing to do is drink a glass of water – you might just be thirsty!

Understanding the difference between emotional hunger cues or thirst versus actual hunger can save you from eating when your body doesn’t want or need food. If you feel bored, find a productive or enjoyable way to occupy your time.

Put away your leftovers

If food is in front of you, it’s easy to reach for seconds (and thirds!). Portion off your meal on your plate and immediately put away any leftovers for the next day. If your meal freezes well, this is also an excellent time to meal prep and save yourself stress in the future. Never, ever eat straight from the pan!

Understand serving sizes

When trying to lose weight, it is critical to understand nutrition labels. You don’t need to count calories or keep track of the numbers, but having a general understanding of serving sizes helps put things into perspective.

For example, if you think that an entire bag of “low calorie” chips aligns with your weight loss goals, you might be surprised to find out that the calories on the nutrition label only account for a small portion.

Magickitchen.com offers a variety of portion-controlled meals, so you don’t have to be surprised or unsatisfied!

Honor your cravings

Lastly, listening to your body means letting go of a restrictive mindset. If you’re craving sweets, try to find a healthier alternative that still satisfies your cravings but perhaps aligns more with your goals than a chocolate bar or bag of candy. It’s okay to treat yourself once in a while to the things you love – that’s what makes life enjoyable!

Weight loss shouldn’t be a daunting or insufferable journey. By learning to listen to your body and eat mindfully, you can still healthily lose weight and enjoy the process!