The Connection Between Mindfulness and Healthy Eating

When you hear the word mindfulness, most of us think about meditation and yoga. We don’t necessarily think about eating well and the connection between the body and the mind.

When we are feeling stressed out and agitated at the world, most of us assume that it is because we have a problem with our mental state rather than turning to examine the effects of the foods that we are eating.

Truth be told, many people who claim to have insomnia in actuality have a caffeine addiction or something similar.

We become very cut off from our minds and our bodies both, and we stop realizing how it is that the foods we eat and the drinks that we consume have an impact on our bodies and our state of mind.

When we are grumpy and agitated, sometimes it isn’t because we simply woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

Sometimes it is an indication that we have a food intolerance or have had too much sugar, or maybe we drank too much coffee or too many energy drinks or soda for our bodies to feel content.

We miss out on so much. Our environments are so busy and flashy that we do not often use mindfulness techniques in order to pay attention to what makes our bodies feel a certain way.

When we aren’t paying attention, the little things that we can do to improve our lives suddenly become unimportant.

Sure, we could stop having an upset stomach every time we drink milk because we are lactose intolerant, but if we don’t slow down and pay attention to the connection there, then it is going to be close to impossible to change the way we feel.

Mindfulness can be practiced easily, by beginning to truly focus on our surroundings and the way we feel.

One good way to begin practicing mindfulness in a way that will help us to develop a mind and body connection is to begin a food journal.

When we are honest with ourselves about how we feel when we eat, and how we feel after we eat what we have eaten, then it becomes far easier for us to begin to understand how we are impacted by the foods we ear and our environment.

Mindfulness can help us to improve our relationship with food in another way as well. If we are practicing mindfulness in every moment, it becomes easier for us to make better choices.

Rather than picking up a candy bar impulsively and allowing ourselves to eat it without a second thought, staying mindful and taking time to reflect before acting can give you the chance you need to weigh the pros and cons of your actions.

Do you need this candy bar for your survival? Will it make you feel good or will it give you sugar that could cause you to feel restless and irritable, and that will contribute to weight gain?

Mindfulness is an effective tool in all arenas of life, but most especially if you are attempting to carve out a diet routine for yourself.

Finding the Routine that Works Best for You

Some people struggle with routine while others thrive on it.

When you are embarking upon a large lifestyle change, then being able to allow yourself the time out of your day to thrive is one of the most crucial elements of success.

It can feel impossible at times to stick to a specific schedule, especially if you are particularly scatter-brained.

However, everybody can fall into a good routine, and one that will truly allow you a chance to thrive.

If you struggle with creating a routine but would like to, there are some simple steps that you can take to make the transition from chaos into structure a little bit more manageable.

First of all, don’t push yourself too hard.

When you need to make lifestyle changes, do so gradually rather than attempting to make a lot of changes at once.

One of the worst things you can do is to overload yourself with tasks and structure you aren’t ready for.

Slow and steady wins the race, so begin by introducing new tasks slowly until they have become a second nature, then add in the next.

It can help to have an idea of what you want your day to look like. Take some time to visualize your goals and think about what it is that you hope to accomplish.

Break it down into chunks and slowly integrate small tasks that will help you to get where you want to go.

Once you have visualized your ultimate goal, then you will benefit from writing down the tasks that you need to achieve to get there, starting at the top and trickling down to the most trivial seeming of details.

The small details are where you are going to want to begin. You can add in one of these tasks every day to ensure that you are getting the most of your time.

Write out a schedule for yourself and stick with it.

It is especially important to begin with getting a good night’s rest and waking up at a similar time every day.

Routines help the mind stay focused, and without focus, any goals will be hard to obtain.

If you are hoping to get yourself on a good routine to help to encourage your weight loss, then it is important for you to include time in the morning for you to either visualize your goals or to actually begin to exercise.

You should make sure you have a great morning routine if nothing else, because how you feel in the morning can set the course for the rest of the day.

Wake up at a good time, drink a glass of water, exercise, and prepare a healthy meal.

All of these things are incredibly important on any weight loss journey!

Overall, developing a routine is easier than you might think. Don’t overthink it and don’t overload yourself with stimulating activities that you aren’t used to.

Go slow and set your own pace, and you will quickly be on your way to developing a routine that is best for you.