Mindful Eating guide

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mindful eating. YOUR GUIDE TO...

i'm glad you're here! hi.! If there's anything I want you to get from

this guide, it's that mindful eating is so much more than just "eating whatever we want" and like anything else, takes PRACTICE. But don't let this overwhelm you. Instead, take the time to explore and learn your own body, habits, and behaviors, so you can truly become in tune with your with your body and it's needs (both physical and emotional).

let's get started.!

WHAT'S inside: TASK:

Is mindful eating right for me? What is mindful eating? Why is mindful eating more beneficial than dieting? Ways to incorporate mindful eating What happens when we ignore our bodies? Hunger Other ways to incorporate mindful eating Things to consider about mindful eating HOW to incorporate foods mindfully Food + You (carbs, protein, fat) Do you eat when you're bored? Do you "go off the deep end" with your diet? Do you eat when you're stressed? Do you want the "best of both worlds"? How to create a calorie deficit WITHOUT tracking macros Self care reflections

how do you know if

mindful EATING

is right for you?

You feel guilty after eating certain foods You yo-yo diet or try fad diets that never last long-term

You feel out of control or uneasy when you're "tempted" with certain foods "Clean Eating" has never sustainable for you You binge (eat excessive amounts) on your "cheat days" or in "moments of weakness" You tend to let your emotions affect your eating habits You want to eat in a way that's "healthy" but sustainable (long-term) You're tired of restricting, forcing foods you don't enjoy, or following a set of rigid guidelines you find hard to stick to

mindful

what is

EATING?

WHAT IT IS...

Being mindful of your hunger, emotions, body, needs— before, during, after eating (ex: am I eating because I’m truly hungry, or am I just bored/stressed/sad?)

WHAT IT’S NOT...

A diet, or set of rules you have to follow 24/7 Eating whatever, whenever

Listening to hunger cues • hungry = eat • full = stop

Neglecting nutritious food choices; only "eating junk"

Not restricting or eliminating ANY type of food or nutrient group from your diet; allowing yourself the freedom to choose what your body needs

Giving in to every "craving"

Understanding sometimes your body needs nutritious foods to use as fuel, other times it’s okay to have less nutritious foods you enjoy, just because. Or maybe BOTH at once!

Overeating or undereating

Mindful Eating is learning how to trust + listen to your body's needs while using best judgement, not restricting foods you enjoy, OR forcing foods you don't enjoy.

WHY MINDFUL EATING is more beneficial than restrictive diets:

do not press!

do not eat!

mind automatically tells you "I really want to press that button"

mind automatically tells you "I really want to eat that donut" (or whatever you restrict)

every time you see it, walk by it, or someone talks about it…you're thinking about the button

every time you see it, walk by it, or someone talks about it…you're thinking about it the donut

forbidden, restricted = tempting + desirable

forbidden, restricted = tempting + desirable

So what happens when you ARE allowed to touch the button, or eat the donut?

dieting =power struggle (mindful) Eating =food loses power and YOU gain control

(restrictive)

press me

eat me

After getting to press the forbidden button on a regular basis, the temptation/desire quickly goes away

After allowing yourself to eat the forbidden donut on a regular basis, the temptation/desire quickly goes away

The obsession no longer consumes your thoughts + mind

The obsession no longer consumes your thoughts + mind

Now it has just become what it is...a button

Now it has just become what it is...food

And you can focus on doing other things now too!

And you can focus on eating other things now too!

Allowing yourself the freedom to have "forbidden" foods will lessen the overwhelming temptation/urge to binge on them!

notes:

ways to incorporate

mindful EATING

Try to remember, just like anything else...mindful eating takes PRACTICE. Especially if you've dieted your entire life, this will feel very new to you as you work to learn your body and hunger cues.

1. Start listening to (and learning) your body in terms of hunger; when you are truly physically hungry...eat. And once your hunger has been met and you are full...stop (this one takes practice!) Begin to think about what hunger feels like to you. When you get too hungry, are you more likely to binge? When you aren't hungry but find yourself eating anyway, start to think about WHY (boredom, stressed, habit, etc.)

what happens when we ignore our body? when we ignore our body, whether that means we don't eat when we're hungry because we're trying to "lose weight" or "be good"...we are more likely to binge, yo-yo, "fall off the wagon" AND we become out of sync with our own body. OR...

when we ignore our body in the opposite sense; eating when we aren't hungry at all, or eating PAST fullness...this also causes us to become out of sync with our body.

think of your hunger as a meter... learning what hunger/fullness/contentment feels like to YOU, will help guide you on your journey... when we allow ourselves to get TOO hungry, we're uncomfortable , irritable, and likely to binge.

this is contentment, or our "happy place", our hunger has been met and we are comfortable.

hunger scale

this is past fullness, we ate until we were uncomfortable and although our needs were met, this doesn't feel good either..

notes:

other ways to incorporate

mindful EATING

1.Start analyzing your behaviors/choices concerning food. Do you tend to eat when you're bored, sad, stressed, joyful? Why? 2. Stop labeling foods as "good" or "bad"; remind yourself that some foods are more nutritious than others, but you can make room for ALL types of food (and still see progress!) 3. Slowly incorporate foods that have always been "off-limits" or ones you've labeled as "bad", having them more frequently (in mindful portions) will lessen the urge to binge on them in "moments of weakness". 4. When you are incorporating these foods, make sure you're fully present so you can ENJOY them, pay attention to when you feel content, and practice stopping before you become "too full". 5. Be honest with yourself, do you want (insert delicious food here) because you're truly craving it (if yes, then eat it!) If not, save it for a day when it really sounds good!

things to consider about

mindful EATING 1.Slow down, take time to be fully present when eating. 2. Minimize distractions so you can focus on enjoying your food and can pay attention to the way you feel when eating. 3. Pay attention to your body and how it feels before, during, and even AFTER you eat. (do you have more energy after eating certain foods? do you ever experience crashes or slumps? do certain things make you constipated or place stress on your digestive system? Etc.) 4. Remind yourself it's okay if you let yourself get too hungry, or if you overate, or had a binge. We are humans not robots, those things will happen. Don't just sweep them under the rug, get curious and begin to question and analyze those experiences, why they happened, what you were feeling, etc.

how to incorporate foods

mindfully:

Mindful eating should involve consistently reminding yourself that your body needs and thrives off of nutritious foods as well! It is not just an excuse to eat "whatever, whenever".



1.Try pairing foods that sound good WITH nutrient dense options. Example: maybe homemade chicken alfredo and garlic bread sounds good to you.

Instead of denying yourself that craving, have it. But pair it WITH nutrient dense options so you're fulfilling your craving MINDFULLY, while giving your body what it needs to reach your goals.

notes:

food.+YOU

Before you can start practicing mindful eating habits, it might be helpful to know the purpose of certain foods and how we can use it to our advantage! Here's a cheat sheet that will help you make informed, mindful decisions when making food choices!

ENERGY

If you find yourself running low on energy, or getting fatigued in your workouts, try eating slightly more complex carbs!

CARBS: simple carbs can be carbs get a bad rep thanks to diet culture, used for QUICK that your body but they shouldn't be energy uses up fast! (ex: why feared. Instead, use some people eat a them to your rice krispy treat before advantage! a workout)

Their purpose: body's main source of energy (literally what your body uses as "fuel"!)

complex carbs give you longer lasting energy and offer more fiber. It's okay to have both types!

examples:

breads grains rice/beans oats crackers chips fruits starchy veggies sweets baked goods

PROTEIN: BUILD + REPAIR

Protein gets all the love. It is important! It's purpose: what the body uses to build, repair, and maintain muscle (and other functions/tissu es)

If you find you're putting forth a lot of effort in your workouts but still not seeing the results you're wanting, try incorporating more protein in your diet!

Especially when you're consistently working out and breaking down your muscles, it's important that you're consuming enough protein because this is what your body uses to help repair and build those muscles back UP. You don't have to drink protein powder if you're getting enough protein in your meals! Some people prefer the convenience of them though!

examples:

meats fish eggs low fat dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt) tofu beans/lentils protein powders, bars, drinks

FATS: FULLNESS + FLAVOR

Fats used to be feared too, but having fat in our diet is actually ESSENTIAL. It's purpose: insulates our bodies, helps keep us full/satisfied, adds flavor to food, essential for reproductive health

If you find you're eating plenty of meals throughout the day but still find yourself hungry shortly after, try increasing the amounts of fat in your meals or snacks!

Having fat in our meals can not only significantly improve the flavor but also helps fill us up (and keeps us fuller for longer too). Some fats are "healthier" than others, but none should be feared.

examples:

nuts nut butters seeds butter oils eggs chia seeds flax seed avocados salmon dairy (cream, milk, yogurt, cheese)

notes:

you? do

The following pages will consist of different eating related situations you may have found yourself in, with guidance and tips you can implement that can help you build healthy habits while becoming more in tune in with your body!

DO YOU EAT

when you're

BORED? (and then feel guilty about it later?)

if so, this is for you!

mindful eating. mindful eating. mindful eating. mindful eating.

maybe you...

find yourself snacking on chips before bed (when you're not even hungry) Chips are fine (when they sound good/when you're hungry)...BUT, if you're just bored, this might be your way of trying to "wind down" before bed.

see next slide!

instead try... doing something else relaxing...a bubble bath, a facial, a word puzzle.

then, if your stomach is actually growling and you still can't sleep...eat a few chips!

DO YOU

often

"GO OFF THE DEEP END" with your diet?

if so, this is for you!

mindful eating. mindful eating. mindful eating. mindful eating.

maybe you... "do good" throughout the day, but then by dinnertime all your good intentions go down the drain? ex: for breakfast you have a shake, for lunch you have a grilled chicken salad, maybe you eat a few almonds at 2 pm...then dinner comes around, and well, you know the rest...

instead try...

packing meals that are nutritious AND satisfying (and a few smaller treats to enjoy throughout the day too) Ex: if adding a small amount of queso to your burrito bowl or taco salad makes it more appealing to you, add some! Or, if you find you DON'T enjoy snacking on plain almonds, it's okay to add a few chocolate chips with them if this makes your snack more satisfying!

in conclusion Restriction = Desire (and binging) if we stop restricting + cutting out foods that are enjoyable to us, and instead incorporate smaller amounts of them into our daily lives, we're much more likely to stick to our goals long-term! (and NOT eat everything in sight by dinnertime!)

DO YOU

eat

WHEN YOU'RE STRESSED? or sad or anxious?

if so, this is for you!

mindful eating. mindful eating. mindful eating. mindful eating.

maybe you... have a bad day and want nothing more than to go home, change into your favorite jammies, and dive face first into your favorite icecream. but why? Maybe you've done this for as long as you can remember and the familiarity brings you comfort. Maybe the taste of the ice cream brings you a brief sense of enjoyment that distracts you from the bad day you had. Whatever it is, we know one thing for sure. We're using food as a crutch for the emotions we're feeling.

instead try...

taking a moment to recognize those emotions, then find a productive outlet for them. Food can be an enjoyable outlet that can temporarily distract us, but it isn't a productive coping mechanism.

This may take some exploration to find what works for you, but some productive outlets could be meditation, exercise, journaling, getting out into nature, reading a book, spending time with loved ones, starting a project (for enjoyment).

DO YOU

want the

"BEST OF BOTH WORLDS"? if so, this is for you!

mindful eating. mindful eating. mindful eating. mindful eating.

It's totally okay to want to have a better relationship with food AND have physical goals you want to meet as well. Healing your relationship with food does not mean you have to completely give up on your physical goals or turn up your nose at the idea of weight loss altogether.



Mindful eating is learning YOUR body and the way it responds to food, so you can more easily understand HOW to reach your goals without having to track and weigh every single morsel that goes into your body.

CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT without tracking a

you can. you can. you can.

3 you WAYS can

YOU GO GIRL YOU GO GIRL YOU GO GIRL YOU GO GIRL YOU GO GIRL YOU GO GIRL YOU GO GIRL

you can. you can. you c

single macro!

weight loss tip. weight loss tip. weight loss tip. weight loss tip. weig

no, you don't have to track to make progress!

BUT FIRST...

what is a calorie deficit? WHAT IS IT?

Simply put, in order to LOSE weight, you must be in a caloric deficit (burning MORE than your body is taking in) Assuming you continue doing the SAME amount of daily activity you have been consistently doing, and continue eating in the SAME manner you have been eating to maintain your current weight...the next few slides will show you 3 EASY ways you can create a realistic and maintainable deficit!

see next slide! I am a certified personal trainer/fitness nutrition specialist, not a registered dietician or physician. Information given is offered as a general scientific tool to help you gain insight, not a suggestion or medical advice.

Go for a 15-20 minute walk each day!

each walk could roughly burn 100 calories, if you do this 5x per week that = 500 additional calories burned!

#

Swap out ONE soda with water

swapping ONE 16 oz soda for water could save you 200 calories, if you do this 5x per week = you could save 1000 calories!

#

Make some easy swaps in your meals

Notice how we don't even have to know the exact calorie count of these meals to know, just by swapping out a lemonade, reducing portion size of pasta, and replacing one piece of bread with a side salad, saves us a TON of calories!

notes:

SELF-CARE

reflection

TODAY I FELT...

I'M GRATEFUL FOR...

ACTS OF SELF-CARE TODAY:

A QUOTE THAT RESONATES WITH ME TODAY:

AFFIRMATION OF THE DAY:

SELF-CARE

reflection

TODAY I FELT...

I'M GRATEFUL FOR...

ACTS OF SELF-CARE TODAY:

A QUOTE THAT RESONATES WITH ME TODAY:

AFFIRMATION OF THE DAY:

SELF-CARE

reflection

TODAY I FELT...

I'M GRATEFUL FOR...

ACTS OF SELF-CARE TODAY:

A QUOTE THAT RESONATES WITH ME TODAY:

AFFIRMATION OF THE DAY:

SELF-CARE

reflection

SELF-CARE

reflection

SELF-CARE

reflection

notes:

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THANK YOU! Contact me:

You are welcome to send progress pictures to me via email, text, Facebook, or Instagram (I am truly your #1 fan + love to celebrate your hard work!) I'm here 24/7 to answer questions, or offer help whenever you need me. Please make sure to accept the invite to the private Facebook Group "HIIT + FIT", if you do not receive an invite click the link below and request to join! And most importantly, thank you so much for your support!

[email protected] Instagram: @makayla_kim_thomas MaKayla Kim Thomas // HIIT + FIT (facebook group)

www.makaylathomas.com

MAKAYLA THOMAS