What you need to know...
What is mindful eating?
Mindful eating is the non-judgmental practice of eating food in a 'fully present' state of mind utilizing sensory-focused consumption and a distraction-free environment to build awareness around the body's hunger and satiety cues.
This practice emphasizes how and why you eat, rather than what you eat.
5 tips to start mindful eating
There are many benefits to mindful eating, including improved digestion, a reduction in emotional eating patterns, weight management, a better understanding of body cues and improved mental health.
Use these five tips to become a mindful eater.
Eliminate distractions. Do not eat while distracted, including in front of the TV or when scrolling on your phone.
Slow down! Make your meals last at least 20 minutes.
Use your senses. Savor your meal by using all of your senses when you eat.
Tune in to hunger cues. Acknowledge when you are hungry and honor that hunger by eating.
Practice gratitude and breath work. These help to enhance your mindful eating experience..
Benefits of mindful eating
Mindful eating is more than just a trend; it's a lifestyle that can lead to healthier habits and a better relationship with food. This practice pairs mindfulness exercises with adjustments to your external environment to make a holistic and supportive eating environment. It encourages you to be present during meals, savor each bite, and appreciate the nourishment from the foods you consume.
Studies have shown practicing mindful eating supports a variety of benefits including improved digestion, weight management, lower levels of emotional (binge) eating, improvements in mental health (specifically self-efficacy) and a better understanding of your body's hunger cues.
If you're interested in becoming a mindful eater, here are five simple steps to get you started.
Step 1: eliminate distractions
Eating while distracted can lead to mindless eating because you are more focused on what you're doing instead of listening to your hunger and satiety cues. One place distracted eating often occurs is in front of your TV or on your phone.
Another aspect of food distraction comes from how we select the foods we eat. If there are a lot of 'less healthy' food options around and visible, you are more likely to eat them.
Think of a time you've been distracted while eating, how much did you eat? Did you eat more than you intended? How did you feel after eating? Here are some simple ideas to eliminate distractions.
Turn of electronics. Whether it's your TV, cell phone, or tablet, turn it off and put it away. Sit at the table without distractions and focus on eating your meal for at least 20 minutes.
Clear off your counters. The more food around you see, the more likely you are to eat it. The only food you should keep on your countertop is fruit.
Reorganize your pantry and fridge. Similar to your counters, the more snacks foods you keep around and at eye-level, the more likely you are to eat them. Keep only healthy foods at eye level in these places.
Step 2: slow down!
In our fast-paced world, eating often is a rushed activity. It's important to take time to slow down and experience the food you are consuming. Here are a few tips to help you slow down while you eat.
Pause and set your intention. Take a moment to appreciate your food before you start eating. Set the tone by asking yourself a few questions before you eat. What are you eating? Why are you eating this? What are you feeling about this meal?
Set a timer for 20 minutes. Take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal. That is how long it takes for receptors in your stomach to signal your brain that it's 'full'.
Chew your food at least 10 times. Chewing our food completely not only takes more time, but also helps you aid in digestions.
Put your fork down between bites. This helps to make your meal take longer by adding in some time between each bite of your meal.
Step 3: use your senses
Using your senses when you eat is a good practice to enjoy the experience of eating. It can also be insightful for you to appreciate the specific qualities in the foods you enjoy by savoring them. Here are the general steps to follow to start using your senses.
Look at and smell your food. Take a few minutes to look and smell your food before putting it in your mouth. Note the colors and textures of your food, as well as any scents you can note before you eat it.
Feel and taste your food. If you're not able to touch your food with your hands, note the mouthfeel it has as you take your first few tastes of your food.
Chew your food at least 10 times, then swallow. Chewing your food can help to unlock flavors you may not experience if you eat it quickly. After you've thoroughly chewed your food, swallow it and note any after tastes you might experience.
Step 4: tune into hunger cues
Understanding your body’s hunger signals is a key component of mindful eating. Are you genuinely hungry, or are you eating out of boredom or stress?
The best way to do this is by quantifying your hunger 'level' in a scale from 1 to 10. Utilizing the hunger scale is helpful in increasing awareness around your body's specific hunger cues.
Here is a breakdown of the hunger scale including physiological symptoms you may experience at each numeric value.
Extreme hunger, stomach churning, weak and light-headed
Very hungry, irritable, unable to concentrate
Uncomfortably hungry, stomach rumbling
Slightly uncomfortable, beginning signs of hunger
Comfortable, satisfied but could eat more
Perfectly comfortable, satisfied
Full, slightly uncomfortable
Uncomfortably full, bloated
Very uncomfortable, bloated and tight feeling
Extreme fullness, nauseous and uncomfortable
Ideally, you should start eating when you are at a '4' and stop eating when you are at a '6'. By following this practice you help yourself limit your intake by only eating when you need to, and not being too hungry or too full which leads to overeating and restriction.
Step 5: practice gratitude & breath work
Increasing awareness in all aspects of our mealtime routine can elevate your experience. Incorporating gratitude and breath work are simple, yet effective ways to further this awareness..
Practicing gratitude. Before you eat, take a moment to express gratitude for what’s on your plate. Acknowledge the effort that went into your food, from its preparation to the journey it took to get to you, from the farm, to the store and beyond. Reflecting on this creates a deeper connection with your meal.
Using breath work. Breathing techniques can be used in conjunction with our meal times to help use center and eliminate distraction. A common breathing technique used around meals is the 6-4-10 breathing pattern.
This pattern is an inhale-hold-exhale pattern (6-4-10) where you hold each time amount in the sequence for the listed seconds of 6,4, and 10. This encourages you to have a longer exhale which primes your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).
Practice this breathing pattern for 2-5 minutes before your meal to focus in and be present. f
Reflection. After finishing your meal, spend a few minutes reflecting on the entire experience. How did the food taste? What did you enjoy the most? How did your body feel during and after the meal? This reflection helps reinforce mindfulness and encourages you to make more conscious choices the next time you sit down to eat.
Becoming a mindful eater is a journey, and it doesn’t happen overnight. By following these five steps, you can start to cultivate a healthier, more positive relationship with food. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection. Enjoy each bite and nourish your body with kindness!