Ditching the 'Diet'

25th January 2023

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It is common for people to be chasing weight loss, to be trying to lose those ‘last 5 pounds’, get back in a favourite piece of clothing, drop a dress size, or get back to a weight they were previously. Many turn to fad diets and severely restrict the food that they eat as a way to lose the unwanted weight.

The diet culture has created stress around eating, involving tactics such as:

‘rules’ around eating; what to eat and when to eat it
referring to ‘bad’ foods to eat
‘cheat’ days which imply that you are doing something wrong consuming outside the boundaries of your ‘diet’
associating food with rewards and punishment
counting calories, macros, points or syns

Conforming to a ‘diet’ can become all-consuming and can create a harmful ‘all or nothing’ mentality. Often, regimented diets are not sustainable and can result in a cycle of weight loss, binging and subsequent weight gain. Find out more about the pitfalls of restrictive eating.

Bringing awareness to the connection between the food that you eat and the way that it makes your body and mind feel is a more sustainable way to focus on health. Mindful eating helps you build a better relationship with the food that you eat and helps you gain better control over your eating habits.

Mindful eating can help promote weight loss, reduce binge eating and can help you feel more positive.

What is mindful eating?

Being mindful involves an awareness of your mind and body and the experiences associated with food and eating. It is being present and focused on the ingredients you are using to prepare your food and the experience of eating.

When we are present and more aware, our bodies and minds are calmer which reduces stress and the resulting emotional eating that is common.

Planning and preparation can be the key in creating healthy eating habits. Download Hutton Health's FREE Meal Planner to help you prepare for a successful week of mindful eating!

Find out more about Mindful eating and why it is important here!

Tips to ditch the diet and eat more mindfully:

Eat slowly, chewing every bite of food.

It takes time for your body to connect with your brain to share that it is full. Slowing down to eat allows you the opportunity to enjoy each bite while giving your body time to process what you are consuming.

Eat without distractions.

Distracted eating, such as snacking whilst watching tv, talking to friends or working on our laptops can lead to overeating. The food we mindlessly pick up and eat without noticing adds up over time and can result in poor eating habits, weight gain and a negative effect on our physical and mental health.

Focus on your hunger signals to ensure you are truly hungry before eating.

Things to consider before reaching for a snack or meal:

Are you actually hungry or are you connecting the desire for food with a time, place or emotion?
Have you had enough water today?
Do you need energy?
Is this a treat?
Is the snack providing a break in your day?
Is the social situation causing you to snack?

Listen to your body cues to only eat until you are full.

Connect with your senses while cooking and eating; the sights, the smells, the tastes, the sounds.

Paying attention to your senses while you eat helps to build an awareness and appreciate of what you are eating rather than just consuming food on autopilot.

Be aware of the effects that various foods have on your body and your mind.

Each of the foods that you eat has a connecting emotion to it. Some foods will make your body feel healthy and strong and your mind feel positive and calm. Other foods will lead to feelings of guilt, ‘heaviness’, lethargy and disappointment. Learning which foods have a positive effect on your body and mind and eating those which make you feel great (before, during and after eating it) will help direct you to make better food choices.

Eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures

When we fuel ourselves well it can do incredible things for not only our bodies but also our wellbeing. Feeling sluggish and slow will bring down your mood and put you in a cycle of reaching for short term happiness in sugary, sweet snacks.

There is no quick fix in a journey for weight loss and health. Eating mindfully can help remove feelings of guilt and judgement around the food that you are choosing to eat and help you lean on what your body needs as well as what makes your body feel healthy and your mind feel good. Mindful eating helps build a framework for eating as a way for fueling your body for optimal health which can often naturally result in weight loss.

Building a stronger awareness of the food that we eat helps us to eat the right amount of food, avoid overeating, helps us to identify how certain foods make us feel and helps reduce the stress that is often associated with food and a health and weight loss journey. When we listen to what our body is telling us we are able to make better food and lifestyle choices and remove the diet mentality that can keep us from feeling our happiest and healthiest self.