Mindful eating is not a new concept. It's about listening to what our body is telling us about our hunger and satisfaction. It is about abundance, not deprivation. Ask yourself. Am I really hungry? Then listen to what your body is telling you. When you really get in touch with what's going on in your body and mind, it becomes much easier to know at that moment when you're feeling full and satisfied or when your desire to eat has more to do with how you're feeling. that moment feels. It's about understanding why, what, when, where and how we eat. It's about being compassionate and non-judgmental, which helps us take a closer look at our behaviour.

People eat for a variety of reasons and these reasons can often be very complex and difficult to understand. We often find that people eat when they are alone or to comfort themselves when they are upset, while others eat to socialize and may prefer to go to a restaurant to eat. Some people eat at certain times during the day, while others eat out of habit or because it somehow serves them.

Recognising when to eat is one of the most natural ways our bodies communicate with us. Unfortunately, over time we have come to ignore and manipulate these natural signals, usually caused by external factors. Such cues can range from our desire to be a certain weight, our need to conform to a certain image, our belief that we are not acceptable as we are, or the use of food to comfort us. Allowing this separation between mind and body prevents us from really getting in touch with our inner knowing and we are pushed to seek information and guidance from outside sources rather than relying on our own innate wisdom.

Mindful eating is not a diet. It involves paying close attention to the mind and observing anything that diverts attention from the dining experience. This can be done through your thoughts, just by watching while the mind is distracted without attaching itself to those thoughts. It is also about being aware of what is happening around you and inside you. Is the TV on, are the kids running around screaming, or are you eating alone? Paying attention to the food itself, how it looks, smells, tastes, is hot or cold, etc. How do you feel, sad, happy, anxious, or depressed? Are you really hungry, where do you feel the hunger, do you feel full, does the food satisfy your hunger? Be truly aware of what is happening in your body. Mindful eating simply asks that you observe all of this without judgment or criticism.

Here are ten benefits of mindful eating:

1. It's not something new. It's just something we forgot to do. Regardless of age or gender, you can learn to eat mindfully
2. It's not a diet. Dieting means trusting that someone else knows better than you. By eating consciously, you learn to trust yourself and eat only what you know your body needs and lose weight in the process
3. It's a long-term solution that you can follow forever with the bonus of weight loss
4. It gives you permission to eat whatever you want and includes all foods
5. It empowers and can bring about many positive changes in your life, such as improved self-esteem, more self-confidence, and more self-confidence.
6. It's a simple process to follow with no rules or restrictions that could leave you feeling deprived or "bad"
7. It is a mind-body approach that involves the whole body, including our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings.
8. It promotes self-compassion and self-acceptance, which keeps us from wishing we were different
9. It is non-judgmental and can help people change their behaviour at their own pace
10. It works, meaning people can easily control their weight and will continue the process.