Can Being More Mindful Help You Lose Weight?

When it comes to losing weight, you know that eating cleaner and moving more are non-negotiable. But eating mindfully? Yes, it can help make losing weight easier instead of stressful, and it can help you stay fit once you’ve slimmed down.

Sure, it might sound a little woo-woo but mindful eating means noticing when you’re starting to get full instead of eating everything that’s on your plate… or maybe more importantly, not judging the outcomes. Or worrying about what you “should” or “shouldn’t” be eating at every meal, says weight-loss expert Caroline Cederquist, M.D. who practices in Naples, Florida.

By the time your stomach is growling and you’ve skipped a meal, you are already too hungry to make the smartest food choices, she suggests.

With mindful eating, you purposefully pause to pay attention to the food and your hunger level. It’s a small action, but when it comes to seeing your body weight number on the scale, it can make a big difference to many people. In fact, a recent review of nearly 20 studies found that dieters who utilized mindfulness during mealtime lost significant amounts of weight.

Still not sure how conscious eating works? Here’s how mindful eating can perhaps, help you make better food choices — and have a positive impact on your weight.

6 Ways Mindfulness Can Help You Lose Weight

1. It can help you avoid eating on autopilot.

“Mindfulness is what’s often lost when you’re multitasking while eating,” says Cederquist. So instead of staring at your phone or the TV, or noshing while you drive, you only eat. It might feel odd at first, but it’ll help you pay attention to what your food tastes and smells like, and how you feel eating it. Food becomes more satisfying and this method helps you stop eating when you’ve had enough.

 

2. It can get rid of your “good” and “bad” food mindset.

An important part of mindful eating is not being judgmental about food. Sometimes you might want a grilled chicken salad or a sweet potato. But once in a while, you might really want a burger and fries. That’s fine! Mindful eating doesn’t always mean chowing down on whatever you want 24/7. But it does mean that when a craving strikes, you try to acknowledge it and move on, instead of always telling yourself “no” — which can set you up for overeating or bingeing later on.

 

 

3. It can take the emotion out of eating.

When you stop looking at food in terms of good or bad, you don’t feel guilty or mad at yourself when you decide to indulge in a treat. That can help you avoid feeling like you already blew it. What’s more, you’re eating when when you are actually hungry — and not just because you’re bored, stressed, lonely, or anxious.

 

4. It can help you make healthier choices overall.

You might think that listening to your body means you’ll end up inhaling pizza and ice cream every night. But when those foods are no longer off-limits, you might actually find yourself wanting them less often. Sure, it might sound hard to believe now. But when you give yourself permission to pick any food that you want, most of the time, you’ll find that what you really crave is something that leaves you feeling light and energized — not sluggish and weighed down.

 

5. It can help you eat less.

Ever taken a second helping of dinner just because it’s sitting there, or polished off an entire bag of chips in front of the TV — only to end up feeling uncomfortably stuffed? When you check in with your hunger instead of just eating whatever is on your plate, you’ll be satisfied with a more normal sized portion, says Cederquist. The Clean Plate Club might revoke your membership, but by eating mindfully, you might find that you’re content after eating three-quarters of your chicken stir-fry, or three or four bites of that slice of apple pie.

 

6. It can improve your relationship with your body.

Whether you’re eating good-for-you workout foods for fuel or you’re sitting and blatantly enjoying a double scoop on Sunday afternoon, nourishing yourself means picking the foods that your body is asking for in order to stay satiated and fueled for life. And when you work with what your body wants instead of trying to fight it, perhaps you might see yourself in a more positive light.

 

How Present Can You Be Around Food and Mealtime?

The best thing about mindful eating is that you can start doing it now. Take a moment to gauge your current mindfulness level with these questions:

• Do you regularly eat while watching TV?
• Do you regularly eat while driving?
• Do you regularly eat at your desk as you work or browse the internet?

If you answered yes to any questions, they may be subtle signs that you could be eating more mindfully, says Cederquist. Start by putting your meals and snacks on an attractive plate, and sitting down to eat at the table. By removing the distractions, your focus will naturally start to shift towards your food — and allow you to start eating more mindfully.

One way to improve your ability to be mindful is to begin a yoga routine. Check out Beachbody’s 3 Week Yoga Retreat where four yoga experts guide you through the foundations of yoga.

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