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Let Me Eat Because I'm Sad!! …. By Alma Wellbeing

A Guide To Balanced & Mindful Eating Habits

Ideally, we should be eating when we are hungry. But we end up eating when we are sad, celebrating, anxious, angry, or even heartbroken.


The truth is, for most of us it is our second nature to find comfort in food. This is not necessarily the worst comfort that we can find, but doing so regularly can lead to unwanted weight gain and put our health at risk.


Our hunger is determined by a network of hormones that signal hunger (and fullness) to our brain. Under usual circumstances, we eat food, and these hormones will relay that information to our brain, shutting off our hunger. But when we are stressed or experience difficult emotions, these hormone levels change to promote greater hunger. Knowing this, then, it makes sense that conscience eating or mindful eating is, well, essential. So here are a few tips for how this is done:


Become Aware Of Hunger Signals


Before you pick up that bag of chips or order that triple cheese pizza, check in with yourself “what am I feeling right now”?.


Ask yourself if you are truly hungry or just bored or sleepy and try to comfort your emotions with food. Becoming aware allows us to feed the actual emotions rather than just finding a quick fix. Try to distinguish between true hunger and non-hunger triggers for eating.


Watch What You Eat


With our busy lifestyle, some of us don’t have the luxury to prepare home-cooked meals every day of the week. Especially for people living in UAE (where food delivery is a common trend), even when you are ordering food from outside opt for the healthier options. Besides the factor of how much we eat it is essential to consider what we eat. Include more fresh foods such as fruits & veggies and fiber-rich foods in your meals.


Mindful Eating


Eat slowly and without distraction. Notice the amount of food that is there on your plate. Notice the color and the smell of the food. Begin to taste the food mindfully by taking a mouthful and really getting familiar with the taste and texture of the food before just washing it down your throat. This will help you with eating according to your actual hunger and help you choose healthier foods for yourself.


When we eat for hunger, we are better able to enjoy our meal. Eating slowly and consciously allows us to savor our food. How often have you finished a bag of chips while watching TV or scrolling on your phone only to look up and think, “Where did that go?” See, mindful eating is also an act of self-care.






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2 Comments


Deena Khan
Deena Khan
Aug 09, 2021

Great points to observe

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alma wellbeing
alma wellbeing
Aug 18, 2021
Replying to

Glad you enjoyed the read 😊

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