Holy  shit,  life  is  hectic  isn't  it.  If  my  head  wasn't  screwed  on  I'd  probably  loose  it.  

In  our  fast-­‐paced  society,  eating  is  an  afterthought.  It  is  something  that  we,  at  times,  feel  burdened  to  have  to  deal  with.  

And,  if  you  are  like  most  people,  then  “mindful  eating,”  might  simply  mean  “remembering  to  eat.”  After  all,  there  are  days  when  you’re  running  from  one  appointment  to  the  next,  and  you’re  lucky  if  you  eat  a  meal  at  all.  

This  guide  is  especially  for  anyone  wanting  to  eat  better,  eat  less,  and  eat  more  enjoyably  without  guilt  or  restrictions.  

This  Mindful  Eating  Guide  provides  you  with  useful  information  and  an  effective,  easy  solution  for  gaining  control  of  your  eating  in  today’s  fast-­‐paced,  high-­‐pressure  world…without  dieting.  

Eating  History  

   

     

Once  upon  a  time,  people  prepared  for  dinner  and  other  meals.  

Eating  was  more  of  a  formal  event  than  a  mere  inconvenience,  as  it  is  today.  Our  ancestors,  hundreds  and  thousands  of  years  ago,  considered  eating  such  an  important  occasion  that  they  observed  certain  rituals,  including:  

• Washing  • Dressing  • Carving  • Serving  • Thanking  • And  more  

 Eating  was  truly  once  a  special  occasion.  

We  could  speculate  for  an  eternity  as  to  why  eating  no  longer  holds  the  same  significance  that  it  did  in  times  past.  For  instance,  most  of  our  ancestors  had  to  hunt,  grow,  and  prepare  their  food  for  every  meal,  every  day,  for  their  entire  lives.  

Food  wasn’t  taken  for  granted.  Food  wasn't  wasted.  Food  was  revered  for  the  unique  and  one-­‐of-­‐a-­‐kind  role  that  it  plays  in  sustaining  human  life.    

Our  ancestors  respected  food;  as  a  vital  necessity.  It’s  unfortunate  to  realize  that  we  have  forgotten  the  powerful,  life-­‐sustaining  role  that  food  plays  in  our  lives.  Food  allows  our  bodies  to  grow,  heal,  and  function  properly.  Without  food,  we  would  soon  die.  Starvation  would  be  an  evitable.  

Yet  today,  many  people  give  very  little  thought  to  their  food  choices,  eating  habits,  and  other  nutritional  factors.  

Food  and  eating  are  a  mere  afterthought  in  our  busy  hectic  lives.  As  a  result,  we  

now  eat  foods  of  questionable  nutrition  in  excess,  including  processed  foods  that  are  toxic  to  our  fragile  bodies.  

In  Comes  “Processed  Foods”  

Processed  foods  are  often  overlooked  as  one  of  the  culprits  in  our  inability  to  eat  mindfully.  

These  foods  are  incredibly  easy  to  chew,  digest,  and  overeat.  Too  many  people  blame  themselves  entirely  for  overeating.  When,  in  fact,  our  bodies  have  been  conditioned  and  hardwired  over  countless  centuries  to  eat  and  behave  in  a  certain  way.  

Society  and  agriculture  have  evolved  so  rapidly  that  we,  the  human  race,  have  not  been  able  to  keep  up  with  such  significant  changes.  Our  bodies  have  not  had  enough  time  to  adjust  to  processed  foods  that  are  rich  in  calories,  fat,  sugar,  and  other  ingredients.  

David  Kessler,  MD,  author  of  “The  End  of  Overeating:  Taking  Control  of  the  Insatiable  American  Appetite,”  strongly  asserts  that  the  food  industry  produces  processed  foods  highly  rich  in  sugar,  fat,  and  salt  for  the  purpose  of  bombarding  and  coaxing  our  brains  to  eat  beyond  the  point  of  satisfaction  or  necessity.  Dr.  Kessler  believes  that  we  need  to  develop  new  skills  to  overcome  the  temptation  of  these  “highly  palatable”  processed  foods.  

So,  you  and  I  are  faced  with  only  one  solution  -­‐  “mindful  eating.”  

Restoring  the  Right  Mindset  

   

     

Essentially,  we  have  to  return  to  the  days  (or  at  least  mindset)  where  we  appreciate  not  only  the  sustenance  provided  by  our  food,  but  also  the  much-­‐needed  break/respite  that  accompanies  our  eating  of  daily  meals.  

Eating  was  a  time  to  enjoy  the  company  of  those  at  home,  at  work,  or  other  environment.    It  was  an  opportunity  for  our  minds  to  stop  the  endless  chatter.  

Therefore,  consciously  deciding  to  lavish  yourself  with  a  well-­‐deserved  and  much-­‐needed  break  from  work  or  study  will  provide  you  both  nutrition,  and  rest.  

Mindful  eating  allows  you  to  pay  attention  to:  

• What  you  eat  • Why  you  eat  • How  (much)  you  eat  

 Mindful  eating  essentially  puts  healthy  eating  habits  on  autopilot  so  that  your  choices  become  effortless,  enjoyable,  and  beneficial.  

What  Else  Drives  “Mindless”  Compulsive  Eating?  

Is  there  anything  else  contributing  to  “mindless”  eating  other  than  daily  hectic  demands,  new  traditions,  and  processed  foods?  

Yes,  there  are  countless  other  factors  contributing  to  a  person’s  compulsive  eating  habit.  

Five  of  the  most  common  factors  driving  “mindless”  compulsive  eating,  include:  

1. Chronic  Stress  2. Inattentiveness  3. Your  Brain’s  Hard-­‐wiring  and  Willpower  4. Satiety  Signals  5. Eating  Reward  System  

 The  above  five  (5)  factors  are  likely  to  blame  for  much  of  your  overeating,  eating  the  wrong  foods,  or  inability  to  enjoy  your  food  and  meals.  

Mindful  eating”  is  an  excellent  remedy  for  each  factor.  

Chronic  Stress  

All  forms  of  stress  drain  the  body’s  resources.  

Whether  emotional,  mental,  or  physical  –  stress  causes  an  imbalance  within  your  body.  As  a  result,  your  brain  sends  signals  “to  eat,”  in  an  attempt  to  replenish  your  body’s  resources  and  balance.  

Inattentiveness  

Living  in  an  era  that  places  non-­‐stop  demands  on  you,  leaves  you  with  few  options  other  than  dividing  your  attention  among  multiple  tasks.  

Life  is  faced  paced  and  in  your  face…every  single  moment.  

In  fact,  it’s  automatic  for  us  to  attempt  to  simultaneously  complete  many  activities,  tasks,  and  responsibilities.  How  else  will  we  ever  get  it  all  done,  right?  So,  we  decide  to  “kill  two  birds  with  one  stone.”  

We  attempt  to  eat  while:  

• Texting  • Talking  on  the  phone  • Driving  • Reading  • And  many  other  tasks  

 But,  here’s  the  problem.  

When  you  divide  or  split  your  attention  while  eating,  you  easily  (and  unknowingly)  eat  more  food  than  if  you  actually  focused  on  your  eating  experience.  

The  results  are  your  consumption  of  excess  calories.  

The  satiety  center  in  your  brain  isn’t  able  to  register  your  caloric  intake  fast  enough.  

The  Brain’s  Hard-­‐wiring  vs.  Your  Willpower  

     

Your  brain  is  hardwired  for  your  survival.  

As  brilliant  as  the  human  brain  is,  it’s  OK  with  you  eating  too  much.  After  all,  up  until  modern  times,  more  people  died  due  to  starvation  than  excess  consumption  of  food  and  calories.  

And,  to  make  sure  that  you  really  enjoying  eating,  your  brain  is  easily  pleasured  by  foods  that  stimulate  its  pleasure  center  and  trigger  a  release  of  dopamine.  

Sugar,  fat,  and  salt  deliver  pleasure  to  your  brain  like  few  other  foods.  

Your  brain  is  naturally  quite  fond  of  foods  rich  in  these  ingredients.  As  a  result,  your  consumption  of  these  foods  increases  the  level  of  dopamine  in  your  brain…  the  same  way  that  methamphetamines,  amphetamines,  and  cocaine  do.  It’s  important  that  you  don’t  underestimate  the  drug-­‐like  effect  that  food  can  have  on  you.  It’s  powerful.  

Food  manufacturers  and  food  scientists  have  long  known  about  the  power  sugar,  fat,  and  salt  has  over  your  brain.  In  addition,  they  know  that  your  willpower  

is  quite  useless  against  your  brain’s  hard-­‐wiring  for  such  foods,  which  have  a  tendency  to  entice  and  tempt  people  like  nothing  else.  

To  further  cripple  your  willpower  is  convenient,  dopamine-­‐producing  foods  on  essentially  every  corner.  Gas  stations,  convenience  stores,  and  fast-­‐food  restaurants  provide  you  with  almost  instantaneous  tasty  food  loaded  with  sugar,  fat,  and  salt.    Let’s  face  it  -­‐  temptation  surrounds  you.  It’s  hard  for  will  power  to  resist  such  temptation  when  everywhere  you  turn,  there’s  food  –  of  every  imaginable  kind  –  loaded  with  sugar,  fat,  and  salt.  

Satiety  Signals  

Generally,  it  takes  about  twenty  to  thirty  minutes  for  your  brain  to  receive  the  message  from  your  stomach  that  you  are  no  longer  hungry  or  full.  

Most  people  gulp  down  snacks  and  fast  food  meals  in  as  little  as  5  to  ten  minutes.  In  such  cases,  the  brain  never  has  the  opportunity  to  get  the  signal  from  your  stomach  to  “stop  eating."  

Let’s  consider  a  study  conducted  by  The  Journal  of  the  American  Dietetic  Association  (ADA).  It  involved  thirty  (30)  healthy  women  to  determine  any  difference  that  eating  at  various  rates  might  have  on  calorie  consumption  and  satiety.  Their  research  findings,  published  in  2008,  showed  that  the  women  who  ate  their  meals  slowly  actually  consumed  fewer  calories,  drank  more  water,  and  felt  satiated  quickly.  

For  obese  individuals,  leptin  resistance  may  be  a  condition  causing  the  body  to  be  less  responsive  to  satiety  signals  from  the  body’s  hormone,  leptin.    Additionally,  environmental  cues  (smell,  sight,  etc.)  may  also  send  confusing  “eat  now”  signals  to  your  brain.  

Nevertheless,  mindful  eating  involves  your  enjoying  every  bite  of  your  meal;  thus,  your  brain  (in  most  instances)  has  more  time  to  receive  the  message  that  you’ve  had  enough.  On  the  other  hand,  “mindless  eating”  results  in  your  devouring  far  more  calories  than  your  body  needs  and  before  you  receive  the  signal  to  “stop  eating.”  

Eating  Reward  System  

   

     

What  many  people  don’t  know  is  that,  your  body  rewards  you  each  time  you  obey  its  command  “to  eat.”  

That  relaxed,  calm,  and  “good”  feeling  experienced  after  you’ve  eaten  is  your  brain  rewarding  you  with  a  small,  yet  noticeable  “endorphin  rush.”  

Study  after  study  has  found  that  “eating”  actually  improves  a  person’s  mood.  That’s  why  eating  is  such  a  common,  quick,  and  easy  response  to  negative  emotions  or  stress.  While  not  a  healthy  way  of  relieving  stress,  eating  is  nevertheless,  a  very  effective  remedy…and  your  body  knows  it.  

Simply  put,  your  willpower  is  no  match  for  your  body’s  potent  reward/survival  system…or  your  brain’s  hard-­‐wiring.  

However  eating  mindfully  allows  you  to:  

• Control  your  eating  even  while  under  chronic  stress  • Focus  on  your  meal  • Consume  fewer  calories  • Work  with  your  brain’s  hard-­‐wiring  instead  of  against  it  • Benefit  from  your  body’s  satiety  signals  • Avoid  being  a  slave  to  your  body’s  “eating  reward  system”  

 Mindful  Eating:  What  Is  It?  

Mindful  eating  isn’t  a  diet.  

It  isn’t  about  weight  loss.  Nevertheless,  a  common  side-­‐effect  of  “mindful  eating”  is  weight  loss.  

So,  what  is  it?  

The  concept  of  mindful  eating  emerged  several  years  ago,  and  has  received  a  great  deal  of  attention.  Nevertheless,  mindful  eating  has  been  practiced  by  people  of  various  cultures  and  certain  religions  for  thousands  of  years.  

The  essence  of  mindful  eating  comes  down  to  eating  in  such  a  way  that  allows  you  to  enjoy  the  experience,  while  simultaneously  eating  no  more  or  no  less  than  your  body  requires.  

People  describe  “mindful  eating”  as:  

• Eating  with  awareness  of  the  source  of  your  craving  or  hunger  • Eating  until  you  are  no  longer  hungry,  but  not  “stuffed”  or  “full  • A  conscious,  healthy,  and  enjoyable  way  of  eating  • Eating  with  full  attention  to  your  dining/eating  experience  

 Anything  can  be  mindfully  eaten,  whether  a  piece  of  chocolate  or  a  cheeseburger.  The  result  is  often  greater  enjoyment,  quicker  satiety,  and  fewer  calories/food  consumed.  

Mindful  Eating:  The  Benefits  and  Its  Importance  

   

Have  you  ever  wondered…  

• Why  can’t  you  simply  eat  just  enough,  instead  of  too  much?  • If  your  inability  to  control  your  eating  makes  you  weak  or  bad?  • How  you  develop  a  better  relationship  with  food?  

 Those  are  questions  of  people  struggling  to  get  a  handle  on  their  eating.  

Most  people  don’t  even  know  that  it  is  possible  to  experience  a  healthy  and  pleasurable  relationship  with  food.  

Instead  of  eating  for  nourishment,  millions  of  people  now  eat  to  kill  the  pain  of  some  other  problem  or  discomfort,  including:  

• Boredom  • Loneliness  

• Sadness  • Stress  • Exhaustion  

Most  people  abuse  food  because  it’s  perfectly  legal  to  do  so,  and  it’s  available  everywhere,  24  hours  each  day.  

Seven  Reasons  To  Try  Mindful  Eating  

Mindful  eating  (and  this  guide)  provides  you  with  answers  to  those  pressing  questions.  It’s  both  important  and  beneficial.  

It  provides  you  with  a  healthy  alternative  to  “mindless  out–of-­‐control  eating.”  Instead  of  turning  to  food  for  relief  of  stress  or  boredom,  mindless  eating  helps  you  pinpoint  the  source  of  your  hunger  or  craving  so  you  can  avoid  eating  to  relieve  emotional  discomfort  or  pain.  

In  addition,  mindful  eating  allows  you  to:  

1. Recalibrate  your  body’s  “full  signal,”  and  eat  healthier,  and  less  2. Develop  a  good,  healthy  relationship  with  food/eating  3. Satisfy  your  hunger  with  fewer  calories  and  smaller  portions  4. Gain  less  weight,  or  lose  weight  5. Overcome    “stress”  eating  6. Enjoy  your  food  and  meals  7. Avoid  fighting  against  your  brain’s  hard-­‐wiring  and  reward  system  

 Effective  Strategies  to  Becoming  A  Mindful  Eater  

Knowing  what  “mindful  eating”  is,  and  its  benefits  are  only  worthwhile  if  you  have  some  doable,  easy-­‐to-­‐implement  strategies  and  tactics.  

Five  Powerful  “Mindful  Eating”  Strategies  

1)  Shrink  Your  Dishware:  Using  smaller  plates,  bowls,  and  glasses  is  a  simple  yet  powerful  way  to  begin  practicing  mindful  eating.  

People  who  switch  to  smaller  dishware  seldom  double  their  servings.  This  is  perhaps  one  of  the  easiest  ways  to  be  more  mindful  of  your  food  and  also  eat  less.  

2)  Chew  More:  Chew  your  food  about  30  to  40  times.  Eat  slowly.  Enjoy  and  savor  each  bite.  Not  only  are  you  likely  to  eat  less  by  chewing  more,  but  you  also  will  be  able  to:  

• Better  absorb  your  food’s  nutrients  and  energy  

• Maintain  your  ideal  (or  healthy)  weight  • More  easily  digest  your  food  

 3)  Create  Tiny  Triggers:  A  trigger  is  anything  that  brings  about  a  certain  memory,  feeling,  or  action.  Come  up  with  at  least  three  (3)  triggers  you  can  use  to  become  a  more  “mindful  eater.”  

Here  are  some  suggestions:  

Note  Triggers  –  use  either  a  piece  of  paper  or  a  post-­‐it  note  as  a  reminder.  For  example,  you  might  place  a  post-­‐it  note  on  your  TV  or  computer  monitor  that  says,  “I  eat  my  meals  free  of  TV  or  Computers.  I  focus  100%  on  eating.”  This  will  remind  you  that  these  activities  are  to  be  done  separately,  and  you  are  to  focus  100%  on  your  snack  or  beverage.    Physical  Triggers  –  use  any  object  that  will  instantly  trigger  or  remind  you  to  be  more  mindful  with  your  meals.  For  example,  you  might  move  all  snacks  and  beverages  away  from  your  desk  or  computer  area…and  instead  replace  them  with  an  apple  or  some  nuts.    

4)  Add  More  Steps:  Consider  “steps”  to  be  the  distance  or  degree  of  difficulty  required  for  you  to  perform  a  certain  task  or  bad  habit.  

Therefore,  instead  of  trying  to  use  willpower,  you  make  it  more  difficult  to  indulge  in  an  undesirable  habit.  By  simply  making  it  more  difficult  by  adding  two  or  three  steps  is  quite  effective.  

For  example,  you  might  place  the  cookies  in  the  refrigerator  in  the  garage  so  that  they  are  out  of  sight,  and  further  away  than  arm’s  length.  

Another  idea  is  to  simply  be  to  cleanse  your  home,  cabinets,  and  kitchen  of  all  junk  foods.  Eating  dessert  at  11:30  at  night  won’t  seem  like  such  a  good  idea  when  you  have  to  get  dressed,  hop  in  the  car,  and  drive  to  go  get  it.  That’s  the  power  of  adding  “more  steps.”  (How  to  perform  a  kitchen  makeover)  

5)  Access  Your  Mood/Mind  Chatter:  Your  mood  and  mental  chatter  often  influence  or  determine  your  food  choices.  

Take  60  seconds  before  you  order,  purchase,  or  prepare  your  food  to  ask  yourself  “what  is  the  primary  reason”  you  feel  the  need  to  eat  at  that  particular  moment.  

• Has  the  day  left  your  mind  with  incessant  mental  chatter  that  you  hope  to  quiet  by  eating?  

• How  was  your  morning,  afternoon,  evening,  or  day?  Good  or  bad?  • Would  you  describe  your  mood  as  –  good  or  bad?  

 

Next,  after  determining  your  mood  and  reason  for  eating  at  that  particular  moment,  ask  yourself  if  food  is  the  right  choice.  

It’s  strongly  recommended  that  if  you  are  stressed,  anxious,  or  filling  a  bit  down,  then  put  aside  eating  until  later.  

Do  something  else.  

And,  return  to  the  table  when  your  motive  for  eating  is  nourishment  of  your  body  instead  of  stress  relief.  

Cheat  Sheet  for  “Mindful  Eating”  

   

     

Tactic  #1  -­‐  Focus  ONLY  on  eating.  DO  NOT  “eat  and”  do  something  else.  

• Eat  with  your  television  turned  off.  • Only  eat  at  your  desk  if  you  are  NOT  working.  • Avoid  eating  while  you  are  gaming,  sending  emails,  or  making  calls.  • Eat  without  reading  magazines  or  books.  

 

Tactic  #2  -­‐  Be  in  the  “now”  moment  with  your  food,  enjoy  each  bite.  

• Ignore  distractions,  avoid  judgments,  and  release  criticisms  while  eating,  so  you  can  fully  experience  your  food  and  drink.  

• Take  a  moment  before  eating  to  appreciate  all  that  was  required  in  order  to  bring  each  different  food  that  makes  up  your  meal.  

• Notice  how  your  foods  smell,  flavor,  temperature,  color,  taste,  texture,  and  sound.  

• Consider  what  you  are  placing  in  your  body.    

Tactic  #3  –  Observe  and  pay  attention.  

• Notice  your  body's  internal  reactions  and  feelings  to  your  food  • Be  aware  and  sensitive  to  how  your  body  feels  when  it  is  only  one-­‐  third  

(1/3)  full  or  two-­‐thirds  (2/3)  full.  • How  certain  foods  affect  your  mood  or  emotions.  • Your  external  environments,  happenings  

 Why  Master  “Mindful  Eating”  Before  Trying  ANY  “Diet”  

It’s  smart  to  master  “mindful  eating”  before  trying  any  “diet.”  You’re  much  more  likely  to  experience  sustainable  results.  Becoming  a  “mindful  eater”  before  trying  any  diet  will  almost  guarantee  that  you  keep  the  weight  off  long-­‐term.  

Most  people  know  that  mastering  their  appetite  and  eating  is  often  the  toughest  and  most  essential  part  of  any  diet  program.  However,  few  people  realize  or  understand  how  to  gain  control  of  their  eating,  hunger,  and  appetite.  Mastering  “mindful  eating”  before  trying  any  worthwhile  diet  helps  you  to  achieve  lasting  results,  quickly  and  more  easily.  

Your  Hunger  Triggers  

Becoming  a  “mindful  eater”  also  allows  you  to  pinpoint  whether  your  hunger  is  being  triggered  by  boredom,  stress,  or  something  else  other  than  your  body’s  need  for  nourishment.  

You’ll  easily  be  able  to  tell  when  you’re  using  food  to  meet  other  needs.  Being  able  to  identify  your  “hunger  triggers”  is  a  powerful  way  to  consume  fewer  calories  and  better  nutrition.  

Healthy  Relationship  with  Your  Food  

Ultimately,  becoming  a  “mindful  eater”  allows  you  to  re-­‐establish  a  healthy  and  positive  relationship  with  food/eating.  

Mindful  eating  helps  you  put  a  stop  to  your  constant,  frustrating  battle  with  food…without  restriction,  depravation,  or  guilt.  

With  mindful  eating,  you  can  finally  say  good-­‐bye  to  overeating,  unwanted  pounds,  and  non-­‐stop  dieting.  

Mindful  eating  places  you  in  control.  

It  lets  you  live  an  exciting,  healthy  life.  

The  Easiest  Way  to  Become  a  Mindful  Eater  

Starting  any  new  endeavor,  goal,  or  habit  is  exciting.  

Too  often  people  become  totally  immersed  in  enthusiasm  resulting  in  them  biting  off  more  than  they  can  chew.  Eventually,  the  new  goal  or  habit  falls  by  the  wayside  before  it  has  enough  time/practice  to  become  permanent.  

Therefore,  the  best  way  to  become  a  mindful  eater  is  by  adopting  and  cultivating  “one  thing  at  a  time.”  

Embrace  the  power  of  “starting  small.”  Small  realistic  goals  create  sustainable  results.  That’s  why  it’s  best  to  adopt  only  one  or  two  “mindful  eating”  tactics  or  habits  during  any  thirty  (30)  day  period.  

At  the  end  of  thirty  (30)  days,  you’ll  definitely  have  acquired  one  or  two  new,  powerful,  and  automatic  mindful  eating  habits.  Those  initial  one  or  two  brand  new  mindful  eating  habits  become  the  foundation  on  top  of  which  you’ll  build  more  habits.  So,  once  you’ve  completed  30  days  with  your  new  mindful  eating  habit  (s),  you  then  simply  select  an  additional  one  mindful  eating  strategy  or  tactics  for  the  next  30  days.  Rinse  and  repeat  the  process.  

While  this  might  appear  to  be  a  slow  approach,  it  is,  in  fact,  quite  fast.  And,  more  importantly,  your  new  mindful  eating  habits  will  last  you  a  lifetime.  

Therefore,  if  one  of  your  reasons  for  becoming  a  “mindful  eater”  is  to  lose  some  unwanted  pounds,  then  “starting  small”  is  the  best  way  to  enjoy  life-­‐long  lasting  results  without  punishing  yourself  with  the  latest  fad  diet.  

There's  a  ton  of  information  here.  Do  you  have  any  questions,  comments,  tips  I  may  have  missed?  How  has  mindful  eating  benefitted  you?  

Live  limitless,  

Justin  Miller  

Photo  #1,  Photo  #2,  Photo  #3,  Photo  #4,  Photo  #5,  Photo  #6,  Photo  #7  

###