I'm almost finished part 2 of "Fuel for Performance" but I wanted to do a quick post on mindful eating and what it means to me.

I am a big fan of mindful eating. Simply put, mindful eating is eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. It’s learning how to make a proper hunger-eating connection, rather than basing your eating on emotions or “allowances”.

Try it! Listen to your body’s hunger signals and block everything else out.

When you are eating, completely stay in the moment. Chew your food slowly and saver each bite. Enjoy it. Allow yourself to enjoy the food. Don’t stuff bite after bite in your mouth frantically because you feel guilty. Don’t feel like you have to eat ten plates of dessert tonight because you are going to be really good and deprive yourself of no dessert for two weeks after this.

Don't eat more because you are going to work out later.

Don't eat less because you ate those chocolates at the movies last night.

Don't eat more because you did that extra run yesterday.

Don't eat more today because you are starting your new diet tomorrow.
Only continue to eat if you are still hungry.

Live in the moment with your food. Stop worrying about what you’re going to eat tomorrow or how many calories you will need to burn after you’re done eating your lunch today.

Your relationship with food doesn’t need to be such hard work. Food should be nourishing and enjoyable, not stressful. Eating cues should come from your body, not a spreadsheet, a food journal, calories burned on a treadmill or a calculator.