How to Lose Weight with Mindful Eating?

When losing weight, many believe that the key involves either eating less, or in going on some strange diet with odd restrictions. Neither approach is particularly good for a variety of reasons. Instead of eating less, or only partaking in a smaller selection of foods, it is far better to eat mindfully in order to lose weight and become healthier.

Eating less is certainly an option when wishing to lose weight, but let's look at a few reasons why this method is flawed. For one, it often doesn't work. Eating less leaves you feeling hungry which in many instances, makes you turn to unhealthy snacks as a quick solution. Even if you avoid the snacks, feeling perpetually hungry may be enough of a deterrent to dieting that you give it up before achieving your goals.

So why not feel less hungry by eating healthier foods than unhealthier ones? Instead of a large burger and heaping pile of fries, why not settle for a smaller main portion and opt for extra servings of salad and fruits? A well-made salad need not be rabbit food to be both tasty and filling, and eating more healthier foods will not only make you feel less hungry, but will also increase the nutrients available to your body.

We often feel hungry not because we need nutrients, but because of physiological responses. Even if we eat more healthily to combat these perceptions, we may still experience them, and there are other ways to both have our fills and be healthier while doing it.

Drinking more water is another excellent step. Many of us are more dehydrated than we may realize. Even spending days in cool, air-conditioned rooms takes lots of fluids from the body, and we often mistake the need for fluids with hunger. Drinking more water will not only rehydrate your body, but it will also fill you up, helping you to feel less in need of other foods.

Also, try to avoid processed sugars and artificial sweeteners. Many dieters switch to these eagerly, thinking that by cutting calories they can continue enjoying the same level of sweets as they have previously. In fact, many studies demonstrate the exact opposite effect, revealing that artificial sweeteners and processed sugars cause both an increase in weight and a boost in the body's perception of hunger. In other words, fizzy drinks are anything but.

You need not abandon sweet flavours entirely to diet successfully, nor must you completely eliminate processed sugars. Instead, simply cut back on these and satisfy sweet cravings with fruits and other foods that are naturally sweet. Not only does this help satisfy the cravings, but it takes the edge off of your hunger and gives your body even more good nutrients with which to thrive.

The next time you wish to lose weight, why not try eating smarter rather than less? Not only can doing so help you to achieve your goals, but it will also make you a much healthier person. Furthermore, you are becoming healthier without the constant, gnawing hunger or other frustrations typically associated with dieting. With so many advantages to this new way of thinking, what have you got to lose?

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