Being fully present in the moment when you’re eating, without distractions, may improve your eating experience, promote positive, healthy eating habits and behaviours.
Eating mindfully is a way to enjoy what you’re eating whilst being attuned with your body and acknowledging your thoughts and feelings. It can help encourage positive eating behaviours and healthy eating choices as you choose foods that are nourishing as well as satisfying to your body
What is Mindfulness?
“Being fully present in the moment when you’re eating, without distractions, may improve your eating experience, promote positive, healthy eating habits and behaviours.”
This may help you to consider your thoughts, physical sensations and behaviours without reacting automatically.
What is Mindful Eating?
Mindful eating is an approach to food that focuses on being fully present while you’re eating. It also increases awareness of your thoughts, senses and feelings during and after you eat. It means:
Allowing yourself to become aware of the positive and nurturing opportunities that are available through food selection and preparation, by respecting your own inner wisdom
Using all your senses to choose to eat food that is both satisfying to you and nourishing to your body
Acknowledging responses to food without judgement (likes, dislikes, neutral)
Becoming aware of physical hunger, and satiety cues to guide your decisions to begin and end eating
How to practise Mindful Eating
“Mindful eating is a powerful tool to regain control of your eating”
Eat more slowly and don’t rush your meals.
Chew thoroughly.
Eliminate distractions by turning off the TV and putting down your phone.
Eat in silence.
Focus on how the food makes you feel.
Stop eating when you’re full.
Ask yourself why you’re eating, whether you’re truly hungry, and whether the food you chose is healthy.
Benefits of Mindful Eating
Eating mindfully can help you to:
Slow down and take a break from the hustle and bustle of your day, easing stress and anxiety.
Examine and change your relationship with food—helping you to notice when you turn to food for reasons other than hunger, for example.
Derive greater pleasure from the food you eat, as you learn to slow down and more fully appreciate your meals and snacks.
Make healthier choices about what you eat by focusing on how each type of food makes you feel after eating it.
Improve your digestion by eating slower.
Feel fuller sooner and by eating less food.
Make a greater connection to where your food comes from, how it’s produced, and the journey it’s taken to your plate.
Eat in a healthier, more balanced way.
Summary
Mindful eating takes practice. Try to eat more slowly, chew thoroughly, remove distractions, and stop eating when you’re full.
Reference: Mindful.Org, DBA, Healthline etc
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