Trudging home after work, you envision the ultimate healthy dinner -- that consummate amalgam of omega-3-rich, fiber-infused, yin-yang superfoods enhanced with a dash of chakra-balancing spices. But your intentions somehow evaporate, along with the half-wheel of cheese you down after stepping through the door.

It's no secret that maintaining a nutritious diet requires an awareness of what, when, and how much we eat. But here's the catch: Many of our eating habits are just that -- habits. Whether it's snacking before dinner or eating on the run, we frequently fall into patterns with little thought at all. The potential consequences of habitual eating are anything but nourishing -- it can lead to health problems ranging from poor digestion to weight gain, and an increase in the stress and imbalance in our lives.

Reversing unhealthy eating habits is not about following hard-and-fast diet rules. Instead, it's about cultivating a new, conscious approach, one that starts with listening to your body. "Our systems are designed to know what we need to eat," says Mary Taylor, a trained chef and coauthor of "What Are You Hungry For?: Women, Food, and Spirituality." "We just need to tune in to those internal signals." Taylor likens "conscious eating" to meditation, in which practitioners watch their thoughts come and go without judgment. Rather than giving in to every food craving or ignoring your body's signals, you'll begin simply paying attention.

"Mindfulness is the missing link when it comes to healthy eating," says Ellie Krieger, a New York City-based registered dietitian and host of the Food Network's "Healthy Appetite." For lasting change, don't try to overhaul your approach overnight. Start gradually, focusing on the following common pitfalls; then work on your own weak spots. Throughout, be gentle with yourself. In time, you may see improvements in not only your diet but also your overall sense of well-being. "Practicing consciousness about food does more than help you eat better," says Taylor. "It's a skill that has a way of spilling out into other areas of life."