When it comes to fitness, food plays a vital role. What we eat and how we eat it impacts our fitness journey greatly. That’s why it’s essential to practice mindful eating if you want to achieve your fitness goals. Mindful eating is all about paying attention to the food you eat, how you eat it, and your body’s response to it. It’s an approach that can help you foster a healthier relationship with food, increase your self-awareness, and ultimately improve your fitness journey. Here, we’ll delve deeper into the benefits of mindful eating and how it can help you reach your fitness goals.
Now, I don’t ask myself or anyone else to be perfect. Examine your quality of life. If eating a burger or a bowl of pasta with a friend or your family improves your quality of life, have the meal and get back on track. BUT, eating that sugary, processed snack you crave isn’t improving your quality of life. It’s providing a surge of euphoric dopamine. It’s an addiction. And it must be controlled if you want to reach your fitness goals.
Portions
One of the primary benefits of mindful eating is that it helps you control your portions. When we eat mindlessly, we tend to consume more than our body needs. This can lead to overeating, bloating, and weight gain. By practicing mindful eating, you learn to listen to your body’s hunger and satiety cues, leading to a decrease in portion sizes and better control over your food intake.
If you still feel hungry after you eat your meal, give your body about 15 minutes before you have seconds. You see, your body must produce the hormone leptin to tell your brain that you are full. It takes a few minutes for leptin to be produced and processed by the brain. And, those who are carrying around extra fat tissue are less sensitive to leptin, so it may take longer to realize that you’re full, causing you to over eat at every meal.
Stress eating
Stress eating is a common problem among many individuals, especially with the recent global state that has impacted our lives greatly. Unfortunately, stress eating can sabotage your fitness goals and lead to unhealthy eating habits. Mindful eating can help you reduce or even eliminate stress eating by helping you identify the emotional factors that trigger it. When you practice mindful eating, you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions, allowing you to respond to them in a healthier manner.
Improve digestion
When we eat mindlessly, we tend to rush through our meals, not chewing our food properly, and not giving our bodies time to digest. This can lead to digestive problems such as bloating, gas, and discomfort. Mindful eating can improve your digestion by encouraging you to slow down and take your time while eating. By chewing your food properly and being present while eating, you allow your body to better digest the food you eat, leading to improved digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Digestion starts in your mouth. The combination of chewing and saliva start the process of breaking down the food you are eating. At the same time, chewing your food cues your body to produce digestive enzymes in preparation for the food you are about to swallow. This is why I tell you to chew your juice (if you’re going to drink juice).
Additionally, we shouldn’t be gulping down a bunch of liquids during our meals. When we are young, we’re taught at the table to “wash it down”. Following your bites with that big gulp of water, juice, coffee, or, of course, here in the south sweet tea, dilutes digestive enzymes and rushes the food through your digestive tract. This can inhibit the digestion process and cause digestive stress. So, take it easy on the liquids during your meal. You may be surprised that you won’t actually choke if you don’t “wash it down”.
Better choices
Making healthy food choices can be a daunting task, especially with the abundance of processed and unhealthy “food” options available. Mindful eating can help you make better food choices by encouraging you to pay attention to the quality and nutritional value of the food you eat. By being aware of the food you consume and its impact on your body, you become more inclined to make healthier food choices that support your fitness goals.
Rule of thumb: If it isn’t unprocessed meat, vegetables, fruits, or nuts, it’s not food. And if it isn’t food, don’t eat it!
Mindfulness and self-awareness
Mindful eating goes beyond the food you eat; it’s also about your relationship with food, your thoughts and emotions, and your body’s response. Practicing mindful eating can increase your mindfulness and self-awareness, allowing you to recognize the habits and behaviors that hinder your fitness journey. By understanding your relationship with food and being present while eating, you become more in tune with your body and ultimately improve your overall health and fitness.
Do you ever find yourself eating when you’re not hungry? Most of us have. Stop and ask yourself:
“Why am I eating this food?”
“Why am I eating when I am not hungry?”
“What emotion is causing me to feel hungry?”
Mindful eating is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your fitness goals. It’s an approach that encourages you to be present while eating, pay attention to your food choices, and listen to your body’s hunger and satiety cues. By practicing mindful eating, you can control your portion sizes, reduce stress eating, improve digestion, make better food choices, and increase mindfulness and self-awareness. Mindful eating takes time and practice, but the benefits are worth it. Start incorporating the practice of mindful eating into your daily routine, and you’ll see a positive impact on your fitness journey.
This, paired with resistance training that adds muscle to your frame and strengthens bones will have you on the right track to reaching your fitness goals. Schedule your free resistance training demo and studio tour today to see how iQ Fitness can help!
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