I was at a conference when I was introduced to Mindful Eating. It did not go over well with me. I worked as an ER nurse and sometimes there was barely enough time to eat the entire 12 hours. Taking bites between procedures was the norm and unfortunately, I followed the same pattern on my days off. Our lives are busy so we often forget to slow down and pay attention to our food and really allow ourselves to enjoy it. During our “down time” or night out, we’re constantly on our mobile devices. Then we have to unpack a myriad of messages about “good” food versus “bad” food. Listening to our bodies and determining how well we respond to what we’re eating gets lost in all that noise.
Psychology Today♦ defines mindfulness as deliberately paying attention to and being fully aware of what is happening both in our body, heart and mind and outside ourself, in our environment. Mindful eating is a concept that has roots in Buddhist teachings which aims to reconnect us more deeply with the experience of eating and enjoying our food. Mindful eating involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking. Attention to the colors, smells, textures, flavors, temperatures, and even the sounds (crunch!) of our food. Research suggests that changing our attitudes about meals and mealtime rituals may be every bit as important as obsessing over what we actually put in our mouths.
The goal of mindful eating is to base our meals on physical cues, such as our bodies’ hunger signals, not on emotional ones. And while the focus is on how you eat, not what you eat, you may find yourself making better choices of what you want to eat.
Here are some suggestions:
- Eat slowly: Remind yourself, and your family, that eating is not a race. One of the healthiest things you can do is to take the time to savor and enjoy your food. You are more likely to notice when you are full, and you’ll probably find yourself noticing flavors you might otherwise have missed.
- Create quiet time and reflection time: Savor the silence. A recent article suggests introducing a quiet meal or snack time into your day when you can enjoy it alone, especially if the family mealtime is an important opportunity for conversation. Set aside time to simply savor a few sips of tea in silence.
- Shut off the TV and silence the phone: Our daily lives are full of distractions. Consider making family mealtime an electronics-free zone. You may also make conscious exceptions such as pizza night in front of the TV.
- Pay attention to flavor: Paying attention to the details of our food can be a great way to start eating mindfully. When you eat on the go or wolf down your meals in five minutes, it can be hard to notice what you’re even eating, let alone truly savor all the different sensations of eating it.
- Know your food: Mindfulness is really about rekindling a relationship with our food, savoring the flavors and connecting with the story behind our food.
Mindfulness is not new. It’s part of what makes us human; the capacity to be fully conscious and aware. It’s also a skill that can be learned. Mindful eating will work for you if you can make it compatible with your lifestyle.
Resource: Mindful Eating Infographics
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To Your Success,
Althea
Althea A. McLeish Wilson, RN, MSN
Promoting inner health & outer beauty!
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