The Importance of Mindful Eating
Mindful eating. Insert eye roll, right? Not so fast! I swear it’s not a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. There is definitely value in learning more about it. There are several books on the market but I’ll do my best to break a few elements in a quick blog post. Hopefully it will give you a few things to think about!
Mindful eating isn’t rocket science; sometimes it just the simple act of sitting down and eating. Not eating in front of the tv, not eating at your desk or laptop, not eating while scrolling on your phone or driving your car. Just eating. Slowly taking a bite, chewing your food thoroughly, actually paying attention to how it looks, smells, tastes and even sounds and feels. Maybe you slow down enough to put your fork down between bites. Perhaps you even enjoy a few sips of water throughout your meal. The key is really paying attention your food. Is your meal enjoyable? I hope so. Is it nourishing your body? The answer ideally is also yes. Ridding yourself of unnecessary distractions helps you reconnect with your food and decreases the likelihood of overeating or missing the enjoyment of your meal.
Mindful eating also includes a component of natural portion control. Start by asking yourself how hungry you are on a scale of 1-10. If your hunger is low, perhaps you don’t need to eat quite yet. Why are you reaching for food? Is it boredom? Habit? Stress? If your hunger is high, I also suggest you look at why. Did you skip a meal, have an intense workout or maybe just too light of a lunch? These can be very revealing exercises! In a perfect eating world, you would never be starving or stuffed. Next, decide what and how much you are going to eat. Even if you are starving, there’s no need to pile on your plate as it often leads to overconsumption. Take a reasonable size portion (hopefully a blend of quality carbs, lean protein and healthy fat) and know that if you are still truly hungry when it is gone, you can absolutely go back for more. While you’re eating, pay close attention to how you feel. Cancel your membership to the clean plate club, knowing that it is fine to leave food on your plate. If you do, it is wise to clear your plate promptly so you don’t continue to graze unnecessarily. If you are at a restaurant, ask for a to-go box right away! Ideally, you eat until your hunger is gone and you feel satisfied, not full or even stuffed. For a week, remind yourself to do a self-check-in 20 minutes after your meal to see how your stomach feels. It’s a great mindfulness technique to hone in on your hunger and satiety levels.
Mindful eating is particularly important when eating in social settings and around holidays. It is so easy to graze at parties or buffets without giving your food or portions any thought. Instead, when you arrive at an event, first survey the food available and decide what looks appealing to you. There is no requirement to try every single thing, just what you actually want! Perhaps the best thing you can do is commit to only eating food off a plate; that way you can actually see the quantity of everything you eat. Balance your plate with what sounds good and what will nourish you then find a place to sit down and eat it slowly. It’s absolutely fine to enjoy a conversation with others as you eat; notice how it most likely will slow down your consumption. With Easter and other holidays just around the corner, try to apply these strategies is you attend a gathering. You will likely feel better as you leave, knowing you didn’t “accidentally” eat 7 deviled eggs and 4 handfuls of Easter candy on top of your actual meal…
Do you have any mindfulness tips when it comes to eating? What do you need to work on? Leave me a comment here or always feel free to book a free 20 minute discovery call with me about my services at Commit Health + Wellness.