Why You Should Eat Mindfully Every Day: Benefits & Tips
Why you should eat mindfully every day
Today we have become so consumed by our 5.5-inch LCD screens, work emails, social media, the news… the list goes on. As such, we have lost an important art: eating mindfully.
So what exactly is eating mindfully?
We have all heard of the term mindfulness, but are you aware we can also apply this to our eating habits? Mindful eating is the practice of purposefully paying attention to our food, using our senses (seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling, feeling), gaining awareness of our eating experience without any judgement. It has little to do with the calories you consume or the carbohydrates, fats or proteins present on your plate. Mindful eating is about savouring the moment and the food and being fully present during the eating experience.
Why should I eat mindfully?
In our fast-paced society, eating has become mindless and often done quickly. It is not uncommon to have a quick bite in the car on the way to pick up the kids or eat whilst working on a work deadline (this was definitely me). However, this is a cause for concern because it takes our brain 20 minutes to realise we are full. So if you are a fast eater, you may end up overeating because the fullness signals to your brain may not arrive until much later.
Mindfully eating teaches us to slow down and eat with intention. It can also help us distinguish between physical and emotional hunger.
Binge eating, emotional eating and eating because you are bored can lead to weight gain. A meta-analysis conducted in 2018 reviewed 18 publications and found that mindfulness-based interventions effectively reduce weight and improve obesity eating behaviours (1).
How do I eat mindfully?
Here are 6 simple tips for practising mindful eating;
Before you start eating, take a moment to show gratitude for your meal.
Eat with fewer distractions, turn off the telly, put away your phone and focus on what you are eating.
Slow down. Take smaller bites and chew your food thoroughly because digestion starts in your mouth. Try chewing 20-25 times.
Hot Tip; if you struggle to slow down, try eating with your non-dominant hand because this makes it harder forcing you to pay attention.
Use your senses and enjoy the flavours, textures, colours, sweetness and saltiness of each bite.
Before heading to the pantry for that bar of chocolate, stop and take a moment to notice how you are feeling. Are you stressed, bored, angry, upset? Or are you physically hungry?
Stop when you feel full.
I know it can be hard to put away your phone or resist the urge to scroll through social media whilst eating. But if we make a small change every, it progressively adds up to positive changes in the long haul.
