DHR Bariatric and Metabolic Institute |  5 Ways of Using Mindfulness for Amazing Weight Loss Success

Provided by DHR Bariatric and Metabolic Institute 

Successful weight loss doesn’t need to be all about complicated, unrealistic diet plans. You don’t need to spend all your time counting calories while depriving yourself of your favorite treats.

Your brain is a powerful ally in your fight to lose weight. Using these five simple mindfulness techniques can give your slimming effort an amazing boost, no matter which particular diet plan you follow.

1) Get into Grazing

Eating small amounts regularly is far more natural and healthy than tackling one or two large meals a day. What’s more, it’s an effective way of combining mindfulness with weight loss.

When you graze on healthy food throughout the day, you’ll never build up the powerful hunger that feels overwhelming. When you next eat, you can focus on every mouthful, taking your time. You can explore the tastes and textures without that urgent need to fill your stomach.

This means that over the day, you’ll consume fewer calories while taking more enjoyment from the food you eat.

2) Discard Distractions

Another way of focusing more fully on your food is to eat in peace and quiet, without the distractions of TV or your smartphone. Concentrate on chewing each mouthful properly, rather than getting through your meal almost without noticing.

This means you’ll feel fuller quicker, and will tend to stop eating when you’ve had enough, not just when the plate is cleared.

3) Use Small Plates

Small plates are fashionable in restaurants just now, but they can also be a dependable friend for dieters. If you consume the same amount of food on a small plate, your brain will be tricked into thinking you’ve eaten more than if you used a larger bowl.

You’ll be less tempted to go for a second portion, and you’ll feel the satisfaction of eating a full plateful with far fewer calories

This psychological effect is scientifically proven, and over the days and weeks, the drop in your food intake can be surprising.

4) Understand Your Hunger

When you feel hungry, stop for a moment and think about what your body’s saying. What you assume is hunger could, in fact, be thirst, boredom, stress or anxiety. Don’t automatically reach for a snack until you’ve fully explored what your temptation to eat really means.

5) Understand Your Body

Lastly, when you’re eating, try and concentrate on how the food makes you feel. Do certain dishes make you feel sluggish and bloated? Do others give you a spark of energy?

Your body will tell you what you need to be eating, if you listen to it carefully. And by doing this, you’ll nearly always eat healthier, less fatty food than if you go by habit alone.

Of course, no dieting tactic removes the need to eat a little less and exercise a little more. But using mindfulness to be more in tune with your body and food will make your chosen plan easier, more effective, and more enjoyable to stick to.