Mindful eating may help you shed extra weight, but it should not be seen as a diet plan. Instead, mindful eating is simply a technique designed to improve how you eat by tuning into hunger and satisfaction cues.
Jump start mindfulness today with these mindfulness practices:
Be Present
Mindful eating is eating while fully present. That means taking a moment out of your life – reading, computer or phone use, watching TV or fantasising about what might happen next – and putting all your attention and awareness into your food and its process of consumption. As you may feel your mind wander off in this process, just observe it as it happens, and then refocus your thoughts on mindful eating.
Consider being present and observant at a meal — for example, on a birthday or holiday around the dinner table with loved ones. Then you’ll learn to enjoy and enjoy eating; taste and feel all the food before quitting when your belly tells you it is full; you won’t overeat; and you’ll become aware of what is eating you, and why you might overeat because you’re feeling emotional.
Eat Slowly
A lot of us eat too fast, then we’re full and unsatisfied. With mindful eating you take time to savor each bite so you have the most fun possible!
Eating slowly also gives your brain time to gauge satisfaction, which prevents overeating. Sit down between bites, drink water or chew each bite a bit longer for the best possible slow-eating!
You can eat mindfully so that you understand when you’re not full and stop slurping it for emotional gain. A food journal can even tell you about habitual patterns such as snacking when you’re stressed or bored.
In an experiment, patients on mindful weight loss programmes reported significantly lower levels of blood sugar and cholesterol than those following conventional diet alone – a testament that mindfulness-based weight loss programmes are effective weight loss solutions over the long term. Alex cautions to establish a sense of security before starting this practice with people.
Pay Attention to Your Cravings
Whenever you feel a craving, pay attention to what’s going on in your body and look at it instead of just eating your way to satisfy it. Are you worn out, anxious or bored? Understanding these emotions lets us identify healthy ways of coping.
Have a relaxed eating experience by not over-eating and removing distractions such as TV or work. Mindfulness meditation before or after eating for extra relief – chew slowly, taste with each mouthful!
Alter your everyday dietary patterns by switching out spoons for chopsticks or forks, having salad instead of sandwiches for lunch to have the experience more interesting and to avoid bingeing on sweet foods. For the occasional craving, satiate it with a piece of dark chocolate or apple with peanut butter to get the sugar and salt fix without overindulging on anything sugary or salty. When cravings become overwhelming, avoid them by diverting yourself with activities, taking walks or contacting friends – all these activities can curb cravings –
Listen to Your Body
You will learn to understand your body with much more authenticity and you will become more able to distinguish between what you really want and what you’re truly getting. Reduce emotional eating or splurge eating.
: Mindful eating helps to manage portion sizes. If you’re full before you’ve gone through everything on your plate, for example, mentally or physically divide your plate in two to make it easier to eat slower and enjoy every bite.
Remember to turn off the TV and leave your phone at the table when eating – eating too much by being distracted can result in eating too much, so making mealtimes an un-distracted time is crucial. As well, try changing your utensils/eating tools during the meal to encourage slower, mindful eating – fork and chopsticks, or your non-dominant hand can make for a more engaging meal time and may encourage you to enjoy every bite of food.
