Lesson 7 - Behaviour change: your key to long-term weight loss - Practice

• Breath focusing involves consciously directing attention to your breathing to create inner calm.
• Example: Breathe in and out deeply, focusing on the rhythm of your breathing.
• Application: Breathe deeply before eating to create a calm dining atmosphere.

• Visualization uses the imagination to create positive images in the mind.
• Example: Imagine yourself eating consciously and with pleasure.
• Application: Visualize before a positive eating experience to promote conscious eating.

• Gratitude practice emphasizes consciously appreciating positive aspects in life.
• Example: Write down three things you are grateful for every day.
• Application: Express gratitude for the food before eating and write it down.

• Sound meditation uses sounds to deepen mindfulness and calm the mind.
• Example: Listen consciously to sounds in your surroundings.
• Application: Soft background music while eating for a relaxed atmosphere.

• In taste meditation the focus is on the conscious perception of taste sensations.
• Example: Consciously take small bites and feel the taste intensely.
• Application in a nutritional context: Consciously use small portions to enjoy the taste.

• Pause meditation emphasizes short moments of mindfulness in everyday life.
• Example: Use short breaks to take a deep breath and capture the moment.
• Application: Short breaks between bites and courses to maintain focus.

• Self-compassion involves kind self-care and acceptance.
• Example: Speak lovingly to yourself, especially in stressful moments.
• Application: Self-compassion when you deviate from your nutritional path instead of being self-critical.

• Self-reflection: Write down in a diary when you reach for unhealthy snacks. Analyze your feelings in these moments
• Goal setting: Set yourself the goal of finding alternative ways to deal with stress, for example through meditation or going for a walk.

• Self-reflection: Be aware of whether you are eating because you are hungry or bored. Write down these thoughts.
• Goal Setting: Set a goal to only eat when you are truly hungry and find alternative activities to relieve boredom.

• Self-reflection: Notice how large your portions are and whether you often eat everything, even when you’re full.
• Goal setting: Set a goal to choose smaller portions and consciously stop eating when you feel satisfied.

• Self-reflection: Identify specific places, situations, habits, or emotions that lead to overeating.
• Goal Setting: Set a goal to develop strategies to resist these triggers or find alternative responses.

• Self-reflection: Regularly reflect on your progress and the obstacles on the way to your goal.
• Goal Setting: Set a goal to define small milestones and reward yourself for achieving each goal. 

These practical application examples show how self-reflection techniques combined with clear goals can be individually adapted to promote conscious and healthy eating. By recognizing patterns and setting clear goals, you lay the foundation for sustainable change.

• Plan your main meals in advance each week.
• Once a week, sit down and think about what meals you want to eat.
• Make sure you have a balanced diet that contains all the necessary nutrients.
• This not only allows for a healthy diet, but also makes it easier to buy the groceries you need.

• Create a shopping list based on your meal plan.
• After you’ve planned your meals, write down all the ingredients you’ll need.
• When shopping, strictly follow this list to avoid spontaneous purchases of unhealthy foods.

• Have pre-portioned healthy snacks on hand.
• Cut vegetables into manageable portions
• Provide nuts in snack bags
• Portion fruit into small containers.
• These prepared snacks are perfect for on-the-go meals and help combat cravings with healthy options.

• Prepare meals in advance.
• Use part of your weekend to cook larger batches of healthy meals.
• Portion them into individual portions and freeze them.
• Not only does this save time, but it ensures you always have a healthy option available.

• Make sure healthy foods are easily accessible.
• Place healthy foods like yogurt, vegetable sticks, or hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator at eye level.
• This makes it easier to choose healthy options when hunger strikes.

• Introduce themed meal planning days.
• Incorporate variety by assigning themes to certain days, such as a “Meatless Monday.”
• This makes planning more interesting and promotes diversity in nutrition.

Through conscious decisions and structured preparation, you will create an environment that supports your weight loss goals and encourages positive eating habits.

This technique is based on rewarding positive behaviors to increase motivation and persistence.

Example: After a week of healthy eating, reward yourself with a small, non-food-related treat, like a spa night.

This method involves examining and adjusting attitudes and beliefs related to diet and body image.

Example: Replace the thought “I have to be perfect” with “It’s okay to make small exceptions occasionally.”

Focus on believing that you are capable of achieving your nutritional goals, even when obstacles arise.

Example: Emphasize your successes and remind yourself of how you have overcome challenges in the past.

Consciously direct your attention away from negative thoughts towards positive or neutral content.

Example: When negative thoughts arise, shift your attention to something positive. For example, do you think a lot about what bothers you about your body? Then try to redirect those thoughts: What do you like about yourself?

The focus is on recognizing and understanding emotions related to food in order to make more conscious decisions. 

Example: Ask yourself what emotions you are feeling before you eat and consider whether it is hunger or emotional eating.