Susan Albers > Quotes

“Mindful eating is about awareness. When you eat mindfully, you slow down, pay attention to the food you’re eating, and savor every bite.”
― Susan Albers

“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.”
― Susan Albers

“~self-soothing technique~
Count on Your Senses 5-4-3-2-1

When you have trouble clearing your mind of thoughts of food, try focusing on your senses.
.1. State one scent you can smell.
.2. Name two sounds you can hear.
.3. Describe three sensations your body is feeling, such as temperature, the texture of your sweater, your feet against the ground.
.4. Identify four colors that you see.
.5. To yourself, begin by naming five things you see in front of you.
When you finish doing this, it’s like that you will be thinking about nothing, not even food – unless there’s food directly in front of you. If you are still thinking about food, repeat each step until you notice that your thoughts are less clouded by food cravings.”
― Susan Albers Psy D

“Training your mind to be in the present moment is the #1 key to making healthier choices.”
― Susan Albers

“Changing what you eat isn’t going to help unless you start managing your stress level,”
― Susan Albers

“When you find yourself giving someone the once-over and making a critical comment, counter it with a positive observation. Genuinely compliment others.”
― Susan Albers, Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with Food

“Even more likely, you eat when stressed. Deadlines loom, your kid is sick, your parent needs you, and there’s just no time—you eat to soothe the stress hormones that are wreaking havoc in your system.”
― Susan Albers, Eat Q: Unlock the Weight-Loss Power of Emotional Intelligence

“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.”
― Susan Albers

“Tranquility in front of me. Calmness beside me. Stillness around me. Compassion inside me.”
― Susan Albers, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

“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.”
― Susan Albers, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

“When all else fails, take a bath.”
― Susan Albers, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

“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.”
― Susan Albers, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

“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.”
― Susan Albers, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

“What you think, you become.”
― Susan Albers, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.
—Plato”
― Susan Albers, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food