Mindfulness Based Approaches to Obesity and Weight Loss Maintenance

Abstract

Counselors may encounter clients who wish to make such lifestyle changes as healthy eating and weight management. Mindfulness, defined here as the practice of nonjudgmentally attending to the present moment while monitoring reactivity, has been adapted for use in treating many self-regulation disorders; mindfulness-based eating approaches support intuitive or attuned eating, an approach to weight management that helps individuals recognize internal cues in support of enhanced self-regulation. One program for developing mindfulness skills in individuals who want to maintain weight loss is the Enhancing Mindfulness for the Prevention of Weight Regain (EMPOWER) Program. Participants report changes in eating behavior, thinking patterns, emotional reactions, and physical activity and increased acceptance of personal responsibility for making choices, planning, asserting needs, and accomplishing personal goals. The article reviews key mindfulness skills for clinical practice.