Many people diagnosed with Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes will hear that they can improve their health with weight loss. However, weight loss can be a struggle to achieve and/or maintain. Many people will decide that going on a “diet” is logically the best place to start and choose the latest trend (low carb/keto/paleo/intermittent eating/meal replacement shakes and bars/etc.) or maybe a weight loss system such a Weight Watchers (WW). For some, soon after the weight loss goal is achieved, the “diet” ends, and the usual way of eating is resumed which leads to weight gain. This can turn into an endless cycle of going on and off diets and losing and gaining weight.
For some of us, perhaps it’s not what we eat, but how we eat that needs to change… Do you often eat a large amount of food in a short period of time, mindlessly and without control? Do you often eat in response to an emotion such as stress or sadness? Do you often eat while multitasking such as working/ watching tv/driving?
The approach of mindful eating has been around for more than 40 years. Mindfulness is defined as focusing on the present moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Mindful eating is maintaining an “in-the-moment” awareness of the food and drink you put in your body. It involves observing how foods make you feel, and the signals your body sends about taste, satisfaction, and fullness. Mindful eating requires you to simply acknowledge and accept, rather than judge the feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations observed. Perhaps, being more mindful about when, where, why, and how you eat can help with achieving and maintaining weight-loss goals.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mindful-eating-guide#binge-eating
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/8-steps-to-mindful-eating
All Blogs are written by Professionals in the fields of Nutrition, Human Development and Diabetes.