Quotes from Susan Albers

Mindful eating is about awareness. When you eat mindfully, you slow down, pay attention to the food you're eating, and savor every bite.

Changing what you eat isn't going to help unless you start managing your stress level

Instead of thinking of food as the enemy, allow yourself to enjoy the process of planning and preparing meals or going out to lunch with a friend. Stay in the present moment and understand that the purpose of food is nourishment.

Training your mind to be in the present moment is the #1 key to making healthier choices.

If you try to nibble away the monotony of a dull half hour, it's important to try stimulating your brain in a different way. When you do something new, you actually change your brain chemistry. Sensations and experiences you've never encountered before create new neural pathways.

Don't be surprised if your mind plays tug-of-war between wanting to do something new and wanting to go back to the familiar. It is a natural human reaction to resist change. At first, remind yourself to keep an open mind, even if you don't like the new activity. Tell yourself, "Give it a try" and "Stick with it.

When all else fails, take a bath.

Most people need a way to calm down almost daily. That's why food is such an overly used self-soothing mechanism. You are seldom more than fifty feet away from some form of food at any moment, whether it's a vending machine or a fast-food restaurant.

Tranquility in front of me. Calmness beside me. Stillness around me. Compassion inside me.

The beginning is the most important part of the work. —Plato

Motivation is the result, not the instigator of change. Action comes first. Then, the action becomes a habit. From the habit, you see results or get rewards, which eventually lead to motivation.

What you think, you become.