I was a dieter in my teenage years because I was the only overweight teen in the family and friends circle. Therefore, I tried every single fad diet which can be found in any newspaper (no internet, back in the old times!). I was avoiding eating my favorite foods all the time thanks to the diet culture. Then, I found a way to ENJOY eating by incorporating all the foods I love in my diet without compromising my health. Hopefully, this post will give you a perspective of enjoying your favorite foods without feeling guilty.

I was basically practicing mindful eating but the term was not popular as today. The following steps can help you to start mindful eating;

Take your time.

Smell the food, be aware of the texture and color of your food. Then, take the first bite and enjoy as you have never eaten that food before. This is my favorite tip even though I sometimes need to remind myself to eat mindfully by slowing down.

Stay in the moment.

Don’t think about how to balance it out after you have your favorite food. Don’t try to compensate; don’t over exercise, do not eat less just because you think that you cheated on your diet UNLESS you feel full.

Remember you are the boss.

You are the only person who gets to choose what you eat! Let’s say you open the door of the fridge and see your favorite dessert there blinking to you. First take a breath and remind yourself that you can always eat that dessert. It does not mean that if you don’t have it now, you wouldn’t miss it forever right? You made your judgment and you still feel like eating so JUST DO IT! Remember to follow the two steps above and make a note yourself how you feel afterwards.

Mindful eating takes time, effort and patience but it is sustainable and it will stick with you forever. If you have never practiced mindful eating before, start with my three tips which I have been following since I decided to gave up on fad diets. I promise, you won’t regret!

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