09:40:26 Hey there, welcome back to the Concierge Weight Loss Podcast. I'm Kara Hackleman, your coach, guide, and real life example that you can lose weight in a way that fits your life.
09:40:37 Not the other way around. Today we're talking about something that honestly changed the game for me. And for so many of my clients.
09:40:44 It's called mindful eating. And before you roll your eyes and Picture someone chewing a single raisin for five minutes in total silence. Yes, that is a real thing.
09:40:54 Stick with me because this is not about being perfect or turning your meals into meditations.
09:41:02 This is about finally feeling in control around food. Without restriction, without counting every bite.
09:41:09 And definitely without starting over every Monday. Let's break it down.
09:41:14 So what is mindful eating? Mindful eating is simply the practice of paying attention without judgment to what you're eating how you're eating and how it makes you feel.
09:41:25 That's it. No food scales, no tracking apps, no obsessing. It's about being present when you eat.
09:41:33 Not distracted, not emotional, and not checked out. No autopilot. Be aware of your hunger, your fullness, your cravings, and your habit.
09:41:44 When you're mindful, food stops being the enemy or the escape. It just becomes food.
09:41:50 So why does it work? Because most of us aren't overeating because we don't know that carrots are healthier than cookies. We're eating for other reasons. We're overeating for other reasons.
09:42:04 Stress and boredom habits and even reward and escape.
09:42:09 Does this sound familiar? Mindful eating helps you catch those patterns in real time and choose what happens next.
09:42:17 It gives you the space to pause before reacting. That moment of pause That's where the real magic happens. It's where you learn to respond Instead of react.
09:42:30 All right, this is the foundation of how I coach, how I help women just like you lose weight every single day.
09:42:38 This isn't just a nice idea or a bonus tip or trick.
09:42:42 Mindful eating is the basis of how I teach weight loss.
09:42:46 Because it's, let's be real. If I handed you the perfect meal plan, but you still turn to food every night out of exhaustion, stress, or habit, how far would that meal plan get you?
09:42:58 That's the difference. This isn't a diet. This is a skill, a practice.
09:43:05 A self-care, a way of being that just gives you, it gives you your power back.
09:43:10 And yes, it does. It leads to weight loss. But more importantly, it leads to freedom because it's sustainable.
09:43:18 You can do it anywhere, anytime. You don't have to start over. You don't mess up. You just keep learning So why is this different from dieting?
09:43:29 If you haven't heard yet, let me explain. Diets teach you rules.
09:43:34 Mindful eating teaches you to trust yourself. Diets are about control.
09:43:40 Mindful eating is about connection, connection to you, your body, yourself, your desires. Yeah, what you need, what you want.
09:43:49 Diets say you can't have that. Mindful eating asks, do you even want it right now?
09:43:55 And that's why it works long term. Because when you learn to tune into your body and trust yourself.
09:44:02 You don't need willpower. You don't need food rules. And you definitely don't need to get back on track.
09:44:09 This is the track. So how do we put mindful eating and mindfulness into practice? Okay.
09:44:16 So now you're thinking, cool, Kara, but what does this actually look like day to day, right? I love when you guys write in and tell me things like that. Sounds good, but what does that actually mean?
09:44:26 Let me paint the picture because mindful eating doesn't just happen at the dinner table. It shows up all day long.
09:44:33 And it can show up in every part of your life.
09:44:36 Here's how you can practice it in real life. So before your day even starts, instead of jumping straight into autopilot, take 30 seconds.
09:44:45 This is quick. Ask yourself. What needs my attention today? Maybe you're thinking about your schedule or you're thinking about how your body hurts or something.
09:44:54 Think about this for a moment. What needs my attention today?
09:44:59 It could be anything. Maybe you ask yourself, what kind of food would feel good in my body today?
09:45:05 I really like to ask myself, what do I really want? What haven't I had for a while that sounds so good?
09:45:12 Where might I need a little more support emotionally.
09:45:17 Or practically, maybe I need to ask somebody for some help.
09:45:21 It's not about perfect planning or a perfect day. It's about preparing for you your day, your needs, your wants, and what can make it all just a little bit easier for you.
09:45:34 So when you are planning your meals, mindful eating doesn't mean you wing it and just listen to your body all day.
09:45:42 Like a meditational guru might say, listen to your body. It's not about listening to your body all day with zero plan. In fact, planning is one of the most supportive mindful things, excuse me mindful things that you can do. Ask yourself.
09:45:59 What sounds satisfying and nourishing Do I need something easy tonight? Maybe your schedule's crazy. This is practicing mindfulness right there.
09:46:10 Maybe you ask yourself, will this keep me full? Maybe I plan something and I'm going to ask, will this keep me full or am I setting myself up to raid the pantry later or to just say mess like throw the towel in, let's go get pizza
09:46:24 You get to ask yourself, what do I actually want and what does my body need?
09:46:29 You can put it all together. This is the how you get to eat the things that you really love.
09:46:35 You're planning with intention, not punishment. This is not a supposed to kind of event.
09:46:41 So while you're eating. How you practice mindfulness. This is one of the things that everyone thinks about. And yes, it does help so much. But like I said, we can bring the mindfulness into so many areas.
09:46:54 But in this one, you're just going to slow down a little bit.
09:46:58 Put your fork down between bites. This is where you say, am I actually enjoying this?
09:47:03 Am I starting to feel like I've had enough? Maybe before you even eat you say Is this still exactly what I wanted? Is this still going to feel good in my body? Am I actually hungry right now?
09:47:15 Is there something else I'm looking for in this food besides just being fed?
09:47:21 You'd be shocked how often we keep eating just because it's in front of us, not because we even want it even anymore.
09:47:29 So what about when those late night urges sneak in? How would that look?
09:47:34 So, ah, the snacky hour, right? Don't we all have that after everyone's like calm and doing their own thing and we've we've put away the dishes or we've cleaned up the kitchen. We finally are sitting down and having some moments for ourselves.
09:47:48 So maybe in that moment, you're going to let this mindfulness shine. You pause and you ask, am I actually hungry or am I just tired or stressed? Or do I just need a little comfort?
09:48:02 And here's the thing. Sometimes you're still going to eat the snack.
09:48:05 That's okay, but you're going to do it consciously. And that changes everything because then it was a decision that you chose on purpose.
09:48:15 No guilt spiral, no screw it, binge later. So what about when someone else is eating something delicious?
09:48:23 This one was one for me that I got to really practice firsthand.
09:48:28 This one is real. You're doing great. Then every like sometimes someone shows up and let's say they've got warm cookies.
09:48:38 Your favorite right out of the oven. Suddenly you're doubting everything.
09:48:42 Mindful eating gives you options. You can pause and ask. Do I actually want one right now?
09:48:49 You can say yes and truly enjoy it without the shame.
09:48:53 Or you can say no and feel proud of honoring what you need, not just reacting to your environment.
09:48:59 This was one where I used to say, I'm just going to bring one home with me.
09:49:02 Or, you know, is there something I can do to change what my plan was and still have this.
09:49:09 Most of the time, if it was that delicious, then it would still be delicious tomorrow.
09:49:14 Very rarely is it something that's like right now is the only time it's going to be good.
09:49:19 And then sometimes I still, the more times I learned that I could be proud of the decisions that I made.
09:49:25 A lot of times I'm like, I'm still going to be proud whether I have this cookie or not.
09:49:30 Or I want to be really intentional with what I've been doing and I'm going to feel so proud that I said no sometimes.
09:49:38 It's not all the times because many times a hot out of the oven cookie is going straight in my mouth.
09:49:44 But one, maybe it's just one. I'm like, I will feel good with one. I don't need the whole batch because I can. I could have it again later.
09:49:51 Maybe you're going to practice some mindfulness at other times. Anything that you do, workouts or hanging out with people, any of that. Even mindfulness with your family. How many of you have thought, we really all need to just put our phones down?
09:50:07 Just be a little present, a little mindful in the moment.
09:50:10 And if that word mindful feels a little too woo-woo for you, try replacing it with another word, maybe loving.
09:50:17 Ask yourself, what would be the most loving thing I could do for myself right now? Does this feel loving?
09:50:24 What would feel most loving to eat in this moment? Loving for my taste buds, loving for my body. What would be most loving? It's a compassionate way to take care of yourself.
09:50:35 That tiny shift can unlock so much clarity and self-trust. Because this work isn't about perfection, the perfect diet, the perfect plan, the perfect day, the perfect life.
09:50:47 It's about practicing kindness towards yourself, even when food feels hard.
09:50:52 That's the beauty of mindful eating. It puts you back in the driver's seat. You get to check in, make a choice and feel good, whatever that choice is Mindful just means that you are thinking not going through life on autopilot, hoping for the best.
09:51:09 So let's wrap up. If you've been stuck In the all or nothing cycle. If you've been bouncing from one plan to the next, hoping this time it sticks Maybe it's time to stop looking out there for the solution. Start looking inward at yourself.
09:51:29 Mindful eating is where it all begins. And if you're ready to learn how to actually do this, not just read about it in a magazine, I've got you.
09:51:37 So head to coachingara.com forward slash blog. To get a deeper dive into all of the podcasts, all of those video blogs that I've created. You can check anything out, see what I have to say, see if it's a good fit for you.
09:51:53 You can also be quick, be direct. Get exactly what you need. Sign up for the free webinar, Doctor Secrets, How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off.
09:52:01 And learn how to apply this in real life. Or better yet, maybe you're like, I am ready right now. Book a free personalized solutions call. Let's talk about what this looks like specifically for you, how I can help.
09:52:15 You are not broken and you do not need more willpower or motivation.
09:52:21 You just need a better way and this is it. I'll see you next time, friend.
