Core Concepts of Mindful Eating

Welcome to the Core Concepts of Mindful Eating Resources Center

where you can sign up for handouts, activities, and links to recorded meditations. Valuable training programs for Mindful Eating and Motivational Interviewing, as well as helpful position statements from trusted weight-neutral organizations are always available!

Handouts

Here is a list of the handouts from The Core Concepts of Mindful Eating. All of the handouts are professionally designed images that are available in black and white for easy printing.
  • The Mindful Eating Map Handout
    • This handouts visualizes the five steps of mindful eating which is described on page 63.
  • Mindful Eating Map Steps Handout
    • This handout walks through the five steps described on page 62 and it breaks down these larger concepts into smaller mindfulness steps.
  • Nutrition Choices Handout
    • This handout can be reviewed on page 124 provides an overview of nutrition concepts, breaking teaching into four parts: Choice, Energy, Body Function and Self-care. It was originally published in Discover Mindful Eating for Kids and also very effective when teaching clients about basic nutrition for diabetes care.
  • Practice Planning Worksheet Handout
    • The “PPW” is a worksheet described in chapter 9, and it provides a way for clients to include their intention for mindful eating and create a clear way to move towards this intention. Described on page 135, and listed in the back of the manual, this handout is an effective way to transition from a general intention to clear goal, mindfully.
  • Hunger and Fullness Scale Handout
    • This handout is a unique hunger/fullness scale that helps clients in step 1 and 2 of the Mindful Eating Map. It was originally published in Discover Mindful Eating for Kids and can be located on page 70 of The Core Concepts of Mindful Eating. It is effective way of teaching this concepts when teaching adults about hunger and fullness.
  • Six Phases of Eating Handout
    • This handout was originally published in Discover Mindful Eating and is described on page 71 of The Core Concepts of Mindful Eating. The purpose of this handout is to help an overwhelmed client narrow down and identify a specific areas of the meal to focus the mindfulness skill of attention. Breaking mindful eating into bite-size pieces and taking it slowly is a great way to present the topic.
  • Feelings List Handout
    • Inspired by the amazing of Marshal Rosenberg, PhD and the Nonviolent Communication Community, this handout can be located on page 109 and is designed to help your client use his/her feeling to help discover their unspoken needs.

Activities

  • Thought Compass Instructions Handout
    • This activity is a variation of a Mind Map, described on page 23. The Thought Compass activity is designed to untangle the many thoughts and feelings that are present.
  • Where Your Emotions are Felt Activity Handout
    • Your emotional experience overlaps with your sensory experience and this activity is designed to help your clients make this connection which is described on page 89.
  • Three Poisons Activity Handout
    • Helping clients understand the deeper reason why behaviors are hard to change is the purpose of this handout, which describes the Buddhist teaching the Three Poisons: Self-Destruction, Craving and Unknowing. The handout is located on page 121/122 and provides you client a way to see the our habitual cycle. On the second page, this activity offers the mindfulness antidotes: Kindness, Observing and Curiosity.
  • Evaluating Effort Activity Handout
    • This handout can help your clients understand resistance by considering the effort it takes to change. Described on page 128, this simple tool can help your clients consider, is this level of effort maintainable?

Recorded Meditations

Meditations Handouts and Scripts

The Core Concepts of Mindful Eating offers the following Meditation handouts for you to use with your clients.
  • Meditation Handouts are located in Chapter 2.
    • A3D Breathing Space
    • Mindful Awareness in Three Stages
    • Kindness and Compassion Meditation
    • Traditional Metta Bhavna Meditation
    • Meditation Scripts:
      • Mindful Eating Meditation by Marge Morris, M.Ed., RD
      • 10-Minutes Meditation by Barbara Boothbay, MS, RD

Training Programs

There are many mindful eating training programs to consider. I value the following programs because they are evidence based and are taught by skilled teachers.

Motivational Interviewing

*not a registered dietitian

Position Statements

Learning more about mindful eating will require you to understand the position statements from other organizations and programs. Here is a list of statements that can guide and shape your learning.