Dieting versus Mindful Eating
Filed Under: Mindful Eating
23 August 2016 | Written by Xenia Ayiotis
Mindfulness is a buzzword. Mindfulness is applied to stress, depression, anxiety, illness and eating. And there are many interpretations of Mindful Eating. When I tell people I am a Mindful Eating Coach they often say they don’t eat “mindfully” at all, implying healthily.
But mindful eating isn’t just about WHAT we eat, WHERE we eat, it is also about WHY we eat, HOW we eat and WHAT is going on for us while we eat. Traditionally, when people have eating challenges they turn to dieting as a way out but dieting only makes the eating challenge worse.
So let’s look at the differences between dieting and mindful eating…
Dieting…
- Relies on willpower and control.
- Is inflexible, strict and rule based.
- Focuses on weight loss as the only goal.
- Is about denial and deprivation.
- Implies that our body and eating need to be “fixed”.
- Is a short-term quick fix and 95% of dieters gain the weight back and more.
- Creates feelings of guilt and shame.
- Restricts and often eliminates food groups.
Mindful Eating…
- Empowers us to listen to our bodies to guide us as to what, when and how much to eat.
- Relies on awareness and consciousness around food and eating.
- It’s about freedom of choice, flexibility and acceptance around food.
- Focuses on health versus weight. The focus is on the process of making small changes to the way we eat versus an outcome at the end.
- The process is slow and permanent, mindful eating addresses ways to deal with emotional eating, stress eating and binge eating.
- Through mindfulness we become aware of our triggers to overeat and once we see the patterns we can change them.
- Is a long-term approach that focuses on peace with food and emotional and physical well-being.
- All foods are welcome, there are no forbidden foods.
- The emphasis is on celebrating, enjoying and savouring food also, accepting, caring and loving our bodies.
- Acknowledges that there is no perfect way to eat. It is a kind, patient and non-critical way of eating and living.
After about 27 years of yo-yo dieting and a dysfunctional relationship with food, I am so grateful that I discovered Mindful Eating and Intuitive Eating. Through applying the tools and principles I learned in these approaches, I have finally found the peace and freedom that I was yearning for with food.
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“From our first meeting - two faces on Zoom across the world from each other, there was a sense of familiarity and comfort that was a healing balm for a lifetime of food struggles and dieting. Without realizing how much damage I had done to myself by adhering, for decades, to restrictive food plans and rigid diet programs, Xen had a way of redirecting the harsh and negative self-talk and sending me forth each week with compassion, mindfulness and a new way of seeing myself in the here and now. Gone are the maybe somedays, and if-only, and when-I’m-smaller thinking. Now I am committed to the imperfect and rocky path to listening to my body, accepting my perfect imperfections, and rejecting diet mentality. Those negative voices will revisit me from time to time, I know, but Xen has offered valuable tools for meeting each day as a fresh start - another choice, another chance. Her devotion to this work and her belief in her clients is a remarkable gift; I am so fortunate to have found her. It is never too late to let go of the drama and embrace joy, ease and self-acceptance.”
“I felt hopeless and helpless in my daily struggle with mindless eating for many years. Then I found Xen which is exactly what I needed! My decision to work with her helped me to finally repair my relationship with food. It's changing my life for the better, one day at a time. Now I have control over the food, instead of it having control over me, which is the way it should be. I highly recommend Xen to anyone who has a desire to overcome similar food struggles. Xen, thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
“I reached out to Xenia because 2021 started on a tumultuous note for me. Between deaths, businesses suffering, hospitalizations, and job losses in our personal circle, I felt depleted and found myself being available for everyone but myself. Then I was hit with an unexpected health diagnosis, which was the last straw as it meant giving up “healthy foods” and workouts that I leaned on for my well-being and stability. Despite working in wellness (Yes, coaches and healers are vulnerable too!), I found myself reaching out to desserts for comfort. I like to live a life of permissions (not labels or deprivation leading to bingeing), so I wanted to work with someone who approached healing from a place of mindful compassion. I didn’t want to be my own client. Xenia was great in reminding me to be kind to myself. Working with her, brought me peace and helped shift my mindset. I love how desserts and I look at each other now.”
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“Working with Xen was a game changer for me. After working together for a few months my relationship with food radically changed. I no longer felt like a failure. I now have the tools to nourish my body with foods that feel good in my body. I don’t feel guilty about eating cake or chocolate, I also don’t overeat cake and chocolate. I no longer feel the need to exercise to compensate for my eating. I feel much more free around eating and I am more accepting of my body. Xen has a nonjudgmental and compassionate approach to coaching and really supports you in the process.”
“Working with Xen has been very empowering. Her approach is so refreshing from the usual. I have learned that I am in charge and that I get to choose what I put in my body and how to move my body in a way that I like! I get to make my own choices. It’s so liberating. Once you get a taste of freedom with food, there is no turning back to old ways! Thanks Xen for guiding me along the way to freedom.”
“This is the answer for those of you that struggle with food and all that surrounds it. Xenia said that I could make peace with food and it seemed at the time like an impossible dream. Turns out it isn’t. I recommend Xen and the mindful eating / intuitive eating approach unreservedly. If you have any questions about my experience, please get in touch. Thank you Xen. My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
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“I learned a new way of thinking about food. I have learned that food is not the enemy and that it can actually be enjoyed with no guilt.”
