Mindful Eating for weight loss: 5 mindsets to help you in your journey

Shawn Mackin
Feb 20
5 min read

Updated: May 27

The power is in our mind about food, weight loss and accomplishing our goals. Read on for some mindset changes to help you accomplish your goals

Weight loss was always difficult for me. No matter how hard I tried, my body never budged below 175 pounds. The only time I ever managed to lose more was before I discovered mindful eating. But what it took felt like I lost my entire life.

I was obsessed with my body—counting every carb, protein, and fat. I was consumed by veganism, training for triathlons, and I barely got down to 165 pounds. What I learned through this experience was that my life was more important than the diet. This lifestyle left no room for anything else. It felt empty and unfulfilling.

Years later, after marriage and motherhood, I discovered mindful eating as a gift from God. Mindful eating started well before I made any actual changes to my diet. It began with how I thought. Today, I want to share the thought processes that helped me lose weight permanently.

Let Go of the Diet Mindset and Find Freedom

There’s a harmful mindset we get from dieting, and the most damaging thought is: “It’s me, not the diet.”

It’s incredibly frustrating to go through diet after diet, struggling to see results, while others seem to achieve huge success on the same plan, sometimes with less effort. It feels like you're putting in all your time, energy, and focus, only to see little progress.

When we fail, the automatic thought is always, “It’s my fault. Not the diet. Never the diet.” I used to think this way too. But when I began discovering freedom from the expectations of dieting, I started telling myself a new thought: “The diet failed me. I didn’t fail the diet.”

This thought was so healing for my mind. It was liberating to realize there’s another way—one that isn’t obsessed with dieting.

Mindful Eating: Focus on Nourishing Your Body, Not the Food

I used to obsess over counting every gram of protein, fat, and carbs. I restricted the types of foods I ate. I believed food controlled me, rather than me being in control of food. I ate things that simply didn’t sit well with me, both mentally and physically.

Looking back, I realize how broken our food culture is. Nutrients are stripped from foods, even healthy options, and fruits and veggies don’t have the same nutrients they once did. We live in a society where food is everywhere, but we’re still nutritionally starving.

I could try to be a superhero and fix the world, but I’ve learned to accept that I must make the best of the current circumstances. Instead of obsessing over what I eat, I now focus on eating foods that make my body feel nourished. Yes, I have a burger every now and then. Yes, I eat pizza. Yes, I enjoy a scoop of ice cream.

The difference now is that my burger is made from beef grown by a local farmer. My pizza is homemade with my sourdough crust. I make ice cream with my children, using an ice cream maker (building happy memories around yummy treats). No more 100-calorie ice creams (praise Jesus!).

Instead of denying time with friends and family, I became conscious of how much I truly needed. Our time together is no longer about the food we’re eating—it’s about the memories and conversations we’re sharing.

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Overcoming Fear of Weight Loss and Embracing Body Confidence

In today’s world of influencers, one thing I’ve noticed from people who lose weight publicly—and try to maintain it—is how obsessed they become with their bodies. I used to fear becoming one of those people who sought attention based on my appearance, losing sight of my inner worth. This fear was also what kept me from achieving my goals. I feared success, and I didn’t trust myself.

I’m a modest person. I didn’t want to become an arrogant fool who found security in their body instead of in their integrity.

What I’ve learned is that the people who change in this way are often those who started their weight loss journey with insecurity. They believe losing weight is what makes them beautiful.

The truth is, the goal isn’t just about your body—it’s about the person within the body. It’s about focusing on life beyond the body and seeking contentment with who you are now, not how you look.

Mindful Eating Tip: Start doing what you love

I absolutely dislike baked salmon (unless it’s from Alaska) and can’t stand baked or grilled chicken breast. But why did I eat these when I was doing keto? “It’s high in protein,” they said. “Filled with Omega-3s and healthy fats!” they shouted with conviction… but I didn’t like it at all.

Why did I spend thousands on gym memberships just to walk or run on a treadmill? I hated it. My favorite workouts are outdoors. I love golfing and walking on fresh grass, surrounded by trees, listening to the natural fountain that flows into a pond or river. When I lived in Missouri, I loved being on the MKT Trail, with tall trees everywhere. There’s nothing more peaceful.

But take away nature and give me a treadmill, and I felt like a hamster on a wheel. I dislike it. Why should I spend my time doing something I don’t enjoy or eating something unsatisfying? I will never do it again!

Mindful Eating and the Reality of Healthy Weight Loss

Losing weight has a stigma attached to it: be healthy. But we all know that one skinny friend whose diet consists of pizza and hot Cheetos daily, and they never gain weight.

The truth is, food doesn’t make you skinny or fat—it’s about how much you consume and, sometimes, a fast metabolism. Because we chase thinness, we often become obsessed with only eating “healthy” food. While I don’t recommend living on pizza and Cheetos, we don’t need to restrict ourselves from the foods we enjoy.

Ice cream has a special place in my heart. I don’t eat it every day—or even every week—but when I do, it’s so satisfying. I don’t need a ridiculous amount of it to feel fulfilled.

Food doesn’t have to be our enemy, but we also don’t need an overwhelming amount of it. Life is about balance, and it’s best to find the balance that meets our needs.