What is Mindful Eating?
“You can eat whatever you want in moderation.”
“Stop dieting. Just eat mindfully.”
We’ve all heard some form of these phrases thrown around in the wellness industry, but what exactly do they mean? And is it actually possible to eat balanced without a diet?
Mindful eating is the practice of bringing intention into what you are eating, what you are doing while you are eating, and incorporating small (but mighty) practices of being in touch with your body’s needs. Mindfulness, as a whole, is a practice started by Zen Buddhists in hopes of teaching people self-calming methods. When we incorporate this concept of mindfulness, we are better able to cultivate peace and understanding to our body’s individual needs and our relationship to food.
Being able to practice mindful eating can pose it itself as easier said than done. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to fully ditching diets & their mentality. It has nothing to do with tracking food in an app, counting macros, calories, or even points. However, eating balanced without these (often abused) tools, is a practice, so it takes just that...practice. It will also require a lot of patience in shifting your perspective and compassion as you work to unlearn your non-serving beliefs about food/your body.
The silver lining in all of this is that everyone is born a mindful eater, so here are a few tips to help you return to your true, healthy ways…
SIT AT THE TABLE
We’ll start small by challenging you to actually sit at a table and enjoy your meal! The general busy-ness of our lives, now more than ever, has caused us to stray away from the typical meal setting. It’s almost become a luxury to sit down and eat. Doesn’t it seem like everything in our life is on-the-go? Sitting at the table allows you to see the food in front of you and put more thought into your actions and pinpoint that moment when you are full. No more overeating or feelings of discomfort post-mealtime!
EAT DISTRACTION FREE
How many times have you used your lunch break to accomplish other tasks, while shoveling food in your mouth? Like checking your emails? Scrolling through Instagram or Facebook? Or even turning on the TV and sitting on the couch to eat? These distractions have almost become built-in to our mealtimes. Keep your phone in your bag or across the room. Turn off your computer monitor and TV so you can build upon the next step…
UTILIZE YOUR SENSES
Being able to connect to oneself in this way is special and worth it! Start with your sense of sight. What’s on your plate? How do the colors blend? Do you like what you see? When you sit down before your food, take a moment to inhale the scent of what is before you. Does it smell familiar? Do memories attached to the scent pop up in your mind? Use these same thoughts when focusing on the different tastes with each bite. It is easy to eat on autopilot, missing the opportunity to taste the amazing different flavors in your mouth. And if you’re not quite excited by what you taste, this is a great time for you to understand the flavor profiles you do enjoy! That will make it much easier for you to be inclined to cook (& enjoy) your own meals, instead of being tempted by fast food.
HONOR YOUR EMOTIONS
One of the main reasons mindful eating is sought after is to heal our relationship with food. Many people experience emotions that are negative and take away from the pleasure that food should bring. Think about it, when we are on diets, we are told that we can’t have certain foods. Let's say a popular diet restricts carbs and you’ve been craving a cookie. Have you ever heard the saying “We want we can’t have.” Well that’s true…because wanting is a state that will always perpetuate itself. But on a more practical level, when we restrict ourselves from those cookies, we are 12x more likely to binge on them. The foods we tell forbid ourselves from hold power over us, thus becoming uncontrollable around them when they are in sight. This has zero to do with your level of willpower. This restriction only creates a cycle that hinders a loving relationship with food.
For many reasons, there can be a lot of shame and guilt that food brings for people, which is a difficult thing to bear. Food is here to nourish us, not punish us. We want to focus on rebuilding that peaceful connection with food. This can help restore your emotions and bring gratitude to the table, instead of shame.
Think of the very instance of how breastfeeding brings comfort to newborns. Moms bond with their babies …over food. To say that food is just fuel is ignorant, food can be deeply tied to our emotions. But using it as a coping mechanism, to comfort you during times of stress, sadness, heartbreak does us no favors either.
When you find those heavier emotions arising, ask yourself:
“Am I truly hungry?”
“Am I angry? Upset? Sad?”
“What am I really trying to feed?“
“What would make me feel better instead?”
GET STARTED NOW!
Try out this free mindful eating meditation practice. You’ll need a small piece of fruit or chocolate.
Any questions on how to get started or how I can support you?