What is Mindful Eating? A quick guide to what it is and what it isn’t
Mindful eating is a practice that involves paying attention to, and being fully present while eating. It encourages people to be aware of their physical and emotional feelings, thoughts, and sensations related to hunger, food, eating, and satiety. Mindful eating isn’t new, but it’s been gaining popularity in recent years.
The main goal of mindful eating is to develop a deeper understanding of your relationship with food and eating and to learn to enjoy eating more. For those of us who may occasionally overeat, mindful eating can be incredibly helpful in helping us to learn to eat just the right amount of food for our bodies.
The Mindful Eating Practice
A The practice of mindful eating involves:
Paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues
Eating slowly
Avoiding distractions
Being present
Reflecting on your experience
Mindful Eating has many Benefits
It helps you enjoy food more as it is all about being ‘present’ as you eat. It’s about paying attention to the colours, textures, and flavours of what you’re eating, and taking the time to savour each bite.
It’s about being aware of your body’s hunger and fullness signals, so it helps you eat in a way that nourishes and satisfies your body without overeating.
It helps stop emotional eating, as you’re less likely to turn to food as a source of comfort or distraction.
When you take the time to fully chew your food and savour each bite, you’re giving your body the time it needs to break down and absorb the nutrients in your food.
People also say that mindful eating brings more joy and pleasure to life.
And mindful eating also gives you precious time to focus on yourself.
Mindful Eating Is
You can practice mindful eating in a way that works for you and that’s why different people have different views of what mindful eating is and isn’t. Here’s our take.
1. Mindful eating is being present in the moment.
2. Mindful eating is slowing down and taking time.
3. Mindful eating is savouring every mouthful.
4. Mindful eating is eating to nourish your body.
5. Mindful eating is listening to your body.
6. Mindful eating is taking time to focus on yourself.
Mindful Eating Isn't
It’s essential to clarify what mindful eating isn't, to dispelling common misconceptions.
1. Mindful eating isn't a restrictive diet.
2. Mindful eating isn't any specific diet including vegetarianism or veganism. You can eat a salad mindfully, you can eat a steak mindfully.
3. Mindful eating isn't just slow eating: while it slows you down, it is not just slow eating alone.
4. Mindful eating isn't gratitude. You don’t need to cultivate feelings of gratitude although you can if you like.
5. Mindful eating isn't spiritual. You don’t need to be spiritual or have any sort of religious belief to eat mindfully. For me, eating is about eating and food, and not about other higher powers.
6. Mindful eating is not expensive. You don’t need to eat special foods, just enjoy what you eat.
Mindful Eating is up to you
Ultimately there is no right or wrong way to eat mindfully. And not everyone agrees on how they enjoy to eat mindfully. You may start with my list and add in your own activities as you desire. For you it may be spiritual, or about engendering gratitude, or not: it’s up to you. One thing’s for sure, mindful eating is all about enjoyment.
