Who doesn’t love to eat? Especially food that taste good but is often bad for our health. So here are a few simple guidelines to help you discern between mindless and mindful eating:
Mindful eating is a technique that helps you manage your eating habits more effectively. It has been shown to promote weight loss, reduce binge eating, and improve your overall well-being.
Mindful eating involves paying closer attention to your food and how it makes you feel. In addition to helping you learn to distinguish between physical and emotional hunger, it may also help reduce disordered eating behaviours and support weight loss.
3 ways to help you practice Mindful Eating while nourishing both your body and mind:
- Recognize our own body’s hunger signal
Are you responding to an emotional want or responding to your body’s needs? Often we listen to our minds first, but like many mindfulness practices, we may discover more wisdom by tuning into our bodies. Instead of eating when we receive emotional signals, such as stress, sadness, frustration, loneliness or even boredom, we should listen to our bodies. Is your stomach growling, energy low, or feeling a little lightheaded? Too often, we eat when our mind tells us to, rather than responding to our bodies. True mindful eating is actually listening deeply to our body’s signals for hunger.
- Allow your body catch up with your brain
Engaging in fast eating, ignoring your body’s signals versus slowing down and stopping when your body indicates it’s full. Slowing down is one of the best ways to help your mind and body communicate what you truly need for nutrition. The body typically sends its satiation signal about 20 minutes after the brain, which is why we often unconsciously overeat. However, when we slow down, we give our bodies a chance to catch up with our brains and hear the signals. Simple ways to slow down might include following some of your grandmother’s manners, like sitting down to eat, chewing each bite 25 times (or more), setting your fork down between bites, and practicing all those old manners that are perhaps not as pointless as they seemed.
- Focus on your plate
Distracted eating versus mindful eating. Multitasking while eating is a recipe for missing our body’s needs and wants. We’ve all had the experience of going to the movies with our bag full of popcorn, and before the coming attractions are over, we find ourselves asking, “who ate all of my popcorn?” When we are distracted, it becomes harder to listen to our body’s signals about food and other needs. For your next meal, try single-tasking – just eat without screens or distractions, focusing on enjoying the company you are sharing a meal and conversation with.
While formal mindful eating practices may be what we think of when reflecting on a mindfulness course or retreat we attended, the reality is that we live, and eat, in a busy world. However, we can take the insights gained from our formal practice- slowing down, listening to our bodies, doing one thing at a time, establishing small rituals, and considering all that went into our meal — and bring more informal mindfulness to our daily meals.
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Reference :
https://www.mindful.org/6-ways-practice-mindful-eating/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mindful-eating-guide
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
Weight results may vary depending on starting point, goals, and effort. Regular exercise and a proper diet are required to achieve and maintain any weight goals. Please consult a health professional or physician before beginning any exercise program.
