“The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion.” – Thích Nhất Hạnh

Binge eating as you might suspect, has nothing to do with food, it’s a symptom of something deeper going on in the body, mind or soul. One of the biggest tools I have learnt is to become mindful of thoughts, feelings, and body so that I can heal or address the real cause of my eating problems. Being mindful means being present with whatever is going on for us in the moment and objectively observing it without emotion. When we practice being mindful we can start understanding our triggers and we are able to address the issue instead of face planting into a block of chocolate.

Here are 5 ways to practice mindfulness during the day

1. Breathwork

Mindful breathing for one minute
Observe the rise and fall of your chest, feel the temperature of the air entering your nostrils. What sound does the breath make on the way in and on the way out of the body, how does it feel having the ribs expand in your chest?

2. Gratitude is the right attitude

One minute gratitude practice
Make a list of all the things you are grateful for, this can be as small as the bus driver that got you to work or your beautiful lunch or the income you earn from work.

3. Thoughts are powerful forces

Notice your thoughts
Set a timer for 2 minutes and just notice your thoughts without judgement, see how your mind operates, is there a recurring thought?

4. Nurturing nature

Connect with nature!
Sit on the grass or ground and close down your eyes, feel the sun on your skin, feel the wind in your hair, notice the sounds around you, what can you smell?

5. Aromatherapy

Use the scent of your favourite essential oil to bring back a fond memory, sit in those feelings and notice how the memory changes your body, the way you sit, has it bought a smile to your face?

If you are ready to take that giant leap of faith and finally find out what it will take to trust yourself around food, apply for my complimentary food freedom planning session, this is a 20 minute strategy session where we come up with a plan that will help you end emotional or binge eating for good. Apply here and I will be in touch to set up our session.