Live Mindfully

What is living mindfully and what does it have to do with weight management?

We typically operate on “auto-pilot”, unaware of our moment-to-moment life experiences and decisions. Living mindfully simply means paying attention to the events, activities and thoughts that make up your daily life. It means thinking about the choices you make and doing things on purpose. Living mindfully supports achieving a healthy weight. Studies have shown that those who live mindfully have greater motivation for lifestyle and behavior changes related to diet, physical activity and other health behaviors.

Mindful eating is purposely selecting what and where you will eat, eating with awareness of what is on your plate and paying attention to the flavors, textures and temperatures of your food while enjoying every aspect of the meal. Mindful activity is being aware of how you move your body through the day. Do you take the stairs or use the elevator? Do you look for the closest parking place or intentionally park farther away? Are you aware of how your body feels when you are active?

You can achieve a healthy weight if you Plan (meals and activity), Track (food, drinks and activity) and Live Mindfully. Visit the Eat Smart and Move More sections of this website to download resources to help you plan meals and activity.

Download the resources below to help you track and live mindfully everyday:

	The Raisin – An example of a common mindfulness activity.
	Mindful Activities – Additional examples of incorporating mindfulness into two everyday activities.
	Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less Journal – A small booklet to track food eaten, physical activity and mindfulness.
	Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less Weekly Report Card – A tracking form for weekly weight change, physical activity and healthy eating strategies.