With all of the varied diets that are promoted all over the place, what’s a woman that wants to stay healthy to do?

So by now, most of us know we shouldn’t “diet”. It is really about making healthy food choices that become a part of our everyday life and habits. Does that mean you can’t sneak a sweet treat every now and again? ABSOLUTELY NOT. But if you do, be sure to fully indulge. Here is a great posting on NPR from yesterday. When folks were given the same exact 300 calorie delicious milkshake, one was labeled low calorie, fat free, and guilt free, while the other was labeled with exactly what it was, 300 calories. Well what happened next was yet another window into the mind body connection and the miriad of ways that what we believe can actually affect how our body responds the food we put into our bodies! The folks that drank the mislabeled “healthy milkshake” secreted more Ghrelin. This hormone basically makes you think you are hungry and leads you to seek out more “satisfying foods”. But wait…there’s more, it also slows your metabolism, making it harder to burn calories and easier to gain fat and store sugars.

WHAT!!!!

So what does this mean? It means, fully enjoy in your food. Eat mindfully and indulge in your food. Even if it is healthy food. When you are mindfully eating, enjoying your food and the way it is nourishing your body, your mind is sending out all the right hormones to satisfy your hunger. If on the other hand, you are restricting your diet with health foods you really don’t want, you may actually be shooting yourself in the foot.

You can try mindful eating on your own the next time you eat. If you have a grape handy, it is always fun to try with that. Take a quiet moment to savor a grape in a way you never have. Slow down. Pick up the grape. Feel it in your fingers, note how it feels or any thoughts you may be having about eating the grape. Place the grape in your mouth. Notice any sensations on your tongue. Slowly bite into the grape and feel the texture, the pressure on your teeth. Feels the juicy sweetness that bursts onto your tongue as you bite into the grape. Take your time as you savor the flavors and aromas. Notice how you feel while you are eating the grape. Note: You can try this with any food.

Want to try a free webinar on mindful eating? Check out the Center for Mindful Eating. They have a webinar coming up on April 24, 2014. For further reading, check out a NY Times article on mindful eating to avoid binging here.

Mother Nature’s Network author and registered dietitian Jenni Grover recommends these 5 tips for mindful eating:

1. Eat Slower
2. Savor the Silence
3. Shut off the phone and TV
4. Pay attention to flavor
5. Know your food

You can read more about these tips from the original blog post here.