I wanted to discuss the topic of Mindful eating. You may have heard of it or practice it already. It is getting increasingly more positive recognition in the food and health community, which of course is making the western diet industry squirm!
Overeating. We can easily understand how it happens. There is stress and emotional eating. There is the kind that ends in a midnight session of rocky road in bed after you swore off chocolate forever. Or there is mechanical eating, such as when you polish off a bag of chips without realizing it during your favorite spin off of Law & Order. The aftermath moves into self-criticism and scolding. People begin to think they are weak for consuming so much and for never being able to follow through with anything. They make a promise to themselves, tomorrow they’ll be better…
So what exactly is mindful eating? It has nothing to do with calories, grams, charts, or pyramids. There are no points or pre-prepared menus. It’s about you and your experience. You are the expert and in control.
Here is how mindful eating works. To begin, check in with your mind and body. Recognize how your mind is feeling and the hunger in your stomach. Continuing on, start to think about what you’d like to eat. Not what you should eat but what you want to eat. It can be anything (nothing is off limits!). Maybe you’re craving a certain texture, taste, or even temperature. For this exercise it is best to use an example, so let’s say pretzels. In a non-distracting environment, take out a portion and then put the rest away (You can get more after if you need to, however it’s best to just focus on the current portion). Look at them and take in their tan shade and curved shape. See the flecks of salt scattered throughout every piece. As you take your first bite, savor the flavor. Allow yourself to enjoy it completely, without any judgment. Taste tang of salt, hear the crunch of each bite and the way the texture melts in your mouth. Swallow and take another. Continue eating with guilt free pleasure, focusing on just you and the task at hand. Once you finish your portion, check back in with your body. Are you still hungry? Maybe you are craving a protein or vegetable now. Maybe you are just thirsty. Regardless, let your body decide your next actions instead of the “dieter” voice inside your mind. If we don’t feel satisfied and deny ourselves of something, then we’ll likely just roam around, opening cabinets and drawers, unsure of what to do or looking for something else.
Other points to keep in mind-
- Don’t chase the first bite. More often than not, nothing ever tastes as good as that first bite of something delicious. So try not to keep eating for the sole purpose of getting that back, it may not happen. Just eat slowly, focus on the current bite and relish in the sensations you are feeling now.
- Thinking causes us to stop tasting. Consider it. When we are surfing the web on our lunch break are we totally connected to what is going on in our mouth? Or when we are talking and eating at the same time do we really taste everything? (not only that, it’s bad manners!) When we think we become less aware of our bodies. Without realizing it you could eat a whole pint of ice cream and not only feel extremely full, but not even feel satisfied!
- Think about where the food came from (i.e. soil, farmer, truck driver, grocer, etc.) and what effect it will have on your body (i.e. antioxidants, bone health, heartburn). Try it out with a processed food and then a non-processed one. See if there is any difference.
- Remember, food is not going anywhere! Ben & Jerry’s is not going out of business and the pizza shops are not shutting down anytime soon. Try eating just one or two cookies mindfully and then tell yourself you can do it again tomorrow. It’s better to eat a bag of cookies throughout a week as oppose to all in an evening. Plus, when you stop labeling food as off limits, you tend to desire it far less.
Mindful eating really is a gift. It allows us to not feel restricted or limited with our eating. It creates a gentle form of self-discipline towards how we nourish ourselves. We don’t have to fear food and are able to just be with it and find pleasure and fulfillment. We can be more connected to our bodies and mind, the people who grew and cooked the food, and those who eat beside us.
When we satisfy our body, we satisfy our mind. And that’s fabulous.
