A few months back I was introduced to a dietitian, Gina B, that is now based out of San Diego, California but received her bachelor of science in dietetics and her master of science in human nutrition from Eastern Michigan University. (That’s my school too! 😀 )

After becoming more familiar with Gina B’s work and seeing some of her content I decided to dive into her book, Mastering Mindfulness. 

 

My first impression was, this is a short book that would probably be an easy read, I would finish it in a week or two. I was confident that I would gather some great ideas and be able to continue to help others as I learned more about applying mindful eating practices. 

Yeah about that first part, I was WRONG, but definitely not disappointed. First of all, this isn’t your average book. This is interactive. Just as the cover states, it’s a self-discovery journal. When reading this book I just planned on taking a few concepts to possibly use in my own life and to help my clients. I never thought that the program this book provides would be something that I needed and participated in myself. 

Most of us have obtained thought processes and ideas that are rooted deep in our past and affect our actions on a daily basis. Nutrition and eating are included in that. Mastering Mindfulness asks you to take a look at your life to decide where your habits are stemming from and how to control those thoughts and actions. There are tools throughout the book that allow you take time to reflect and examine current eating patterns. All of these interactive components build on each other to eventually lead you to create a plan for yourself in practicing mindful eating, mindful living, and mindful self-talk on a daily basis. 

I will be honest, these activities can require you to think about memories or do certain things that you may not be comfortable with. For example, Gina B talks about consistently logging foods and having the numbers of Calories needed mapped out perfectly versus just listening to what your body needs as far as when you’re hungry and when you’re satisfied. This was a tough one for me as I like to see exactly where I am at all times as far as my intake. I feel that if I’m not constantly logging I’ll eat too much. But I’ve also learned that sometimes those calculations and numbers don’t give you the full picture and listening to your body can be the best “equation.” 

Mastering Mindfulness started me on a journey that I never intended to go on. A journey that I didn’t realize that I needed. I’m glad that I picked up this read and I’m hoping that by sharing this I can help someone else begin this journey as well. 

Find out more information about Gina B and Mastering Mindfulness here. 

You can also find Gina B on Facebook and Instagram.

Want to learn more? I would love to share what I’ve learned from Mastering Mindfulness and how it might be able to help you!