Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is something I have used with clients and patients, to help them tune into their hunger and fullness cues, heal their relationship with food, manage weight, and optimize their digestion. So, what exactly is mindful eating?

Mindful eating is not a diet! Mindful eating is about focusing on how to eat, rather than what to eat. Mindful eating is being aware and present when you eat.

Mindful eating helps you:

• Use your senses with each bite
• Appreciate the taste, texture and aroma of your food
• Assess your hunger level
• Be fully present in the moment
• Take pleasure in and savor your food
• Be in charge of how much you are eating
• Feel full with less food
• Be free of judgment about food

Here are a few ways to eat mindfully.

Sit down while eating. Resisting the temptation to eat while standing can be challenging, especially when meals feel like another item on your to-do list. Instead, take a moment to sit down, put your food on a plate, and appreciate each bite. By giving your meal your undivided attention, you’ll find greater enjoyment in your food and may even eat less.

Slow down. In our fast-paced society, we often rush through meals. Slowing down lets you truly savor the taste, texture, and aroma of your food. This aids digestion and reduces bloating caused by swallowing air.

Minimize distractions. Many of us eat while multitasking, like watching TV or scrolling on our phones. While chatting with loved ones during meals is fine, aim to eat without other distractions sometimes. You’ll likely find that focusing solely on your food enhances your enjoyment.

Chew slowly. We often take big bites and eat quickly, leading to bloating and inadequate digestion signals. Chewing slowly generates more saliva. Saliva is packed with enzymes, such as salivary amylase and lingual lipase. This helps break down our food into macronutrients, such as carbohydrates and fats, that we can absorb and utilize. While the pancreas also contributes enzymes to break down our food, more salivary enzymes means food gets digested more thoroughly.

Pause between bites. Take a pause between each bite. During this time, ask yourself if you are full or still hungry. This will help you learn your innate hunger and fullness cues.

Make healthy foods accessible. Place nutrient-dense foods prominently on your kitchen counter for easy access. Consider putting snacks and sweet treats in the cupboard, out of view. Research indicates people are prone to eating what’s visible and accessible.

I hope this helps you get a general sense of what mindful eating is! Watch this space as I will dive deeper into this topic in the future. Listen to the audio version of this for more information.