Every single day, each one of us has the opportunity to sit down and practice mindful eating.  Yet, few of us do this.  The hustle bustle of our busy lives keeps us perpetually preoccupied on other pressing issues of the day, preventing us from learning the art and skill of being a mindful eater. 

What is mindful eating? 

Mindful eating is the practice of being fully present and aware of the moment you are experiencing.  Such as right now – take a moment to look away and become totally in tune with whatever is going on around you.  If you are indoors, it might be noticing a wall clock faithfully ticking you hadn’t paid attention to before.  Or if you are sitting outdoors, hearing the variety of birds singing or how the wind sounds as it rustles tree leaves. 

With eating, it involves concentrating on the process of this act and learning to really enjoy the sensation, texture, mouthfeel, taste and aroma of food.  It also includes becoming aware of our body’s hunger and satiety cues.  Mindful eating guides us to eat with joy and anticipation while nourishing our bodies telling us when and what to eat in order to feel our best.  Research has shown that mindful eating helps with weight management and the development of healthy maintainable eating habits.

How does mindful eating benefit us?

Specific ways in which mindful eating can make us have a better relationship with food and eating are as follows:

·      Reduces feelings of guilt

·      Decreases emphasis on dieting or imposing restrictions on certain foods

·      Does not require keeping track of calories

·      Reduces binge eating

·      Does not require you to be a “perfect” eater

·      Improves our psychological well-being

·      Helps us make long-term improvements in our health

5 tips on beginning to put mindful eating into practice

1.  Turn off or silence all electronic devices – This helps minimize distractions – the fewer distractions, the more you can fully concentrate on mindful eating.  Your text messages, emails, and social media updates will still be there once you’re done eating.  Take the time to relax and enjoy your food without any interruptions.

2.  Use your senses - To get the most out of mindful eating it takes using all 5 senses.  When you sit down to eat food, take a moment to notice, really see the appearance, smell the aroma, feel the texture, savor the flavors and listen to how the food sounds when chewed. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll learn just by practicing this step.

3.  Set down the fork – In between bites, place your utensils down on your plate to slow down your pace.  Mindful eating is an experience, not a race.  Just making this one simple step a habit can prevent overeating. 

4.  Check on your hunger/fullness during the meal – How hungry are you on a scale of one to ten?  Gauging your hunger level is a little like taking your temperature.  About halfway through your meal, ask yourself, “Am I still physically hungry or am I beginning to get full?”  The goal is to aim to eat until you are satisfied, leaving yourself neither stuffed nor starving. 

5.  Shift out of autopilot eating – Do you find yourself having the same breakfast or lunch pretty much most every day?  Many of us eat the same thing day and day out.  Notice whether you are stuck in any kind of rut or routine. 

For more in-depth information on mindful eating and whether it is right for you and how to learn it visit amihungry.com.