Mindful Eating

We often emphasize WHAT we should or should not be eating, but we rarely think about HOW we should be eating. It is something that researchers have been looking at more and more over the last few years, and the concept of mindful eating has had positive effects for many people. It is easy to implement, and can be done anywhere, at anytime. I have recently been working on this for myself, and wanted to share it with you all.

Hunger to Fullness Scale

Our bodies have complex mechanisms that let us know when we are hungry and when we are satisfied. If we think of this as a scale from 1 to 10, consider 1 to be the state where you are famished, hangry and ready to eat anything and everything in sight. 10 would be that post holiday meal where you have to unbutton that top button, or get into your sweatpants and are extremely uncomfortable, borderline sick. Although sometimes being at these extremes can't be helped, we want to try to stay away from either end of the hunger/fullness scale. Ideally, we want to stay within the range of 3 to 7 on the scale. Ask yourself where you are on the scale before and during eating. If you are starting to feel those pangs of hunger, listen to them! Have snacks on hand at all times so that you don't get to that hangry state - no one likes to be there! As you eat, listen to your body telling you when you are satisfied. If you get to the level where you feel satisfied and comfortably full, then it is probably time to stop eating.

Eating Without Distraction

We live in a connected world where we often eat on the go. However, studies have found that eating with distractions (TV, computer, phone) doesn't allow our brains to receive the messages that our body sends when we are satisfied and have eaten enough. Distracted eating can lead to overeating. Allow your meal times to be a time where you focus your mind on what you are eating. Similar to meditation, try not to let your mind wander. Focus your senses on the food you are eating and the experience of eating. Pay attention to the smell, texture, flavor, and temperature of the food. It is a nice excuse to disconnect from social media for a minute and have a moment to yourself in the midst of your busy day.

Emotional Eating

Finally, we eat for all sorts of reasons besides hunger. Boredom, stress, loneliness, tiredness, happiness, thirst, etc., are all reasons we turn to food. Before you sit down to eat, think about why you are eating. Understanding why you are eating is important. If it is for a reason other than hunger, you may want to think of an alternative activity that can provide you with the same or similar satisfaction of food. For example, if you are eating out of boredom, have a list of activities you like to do ready for these moments.

One final word on all of this is that our nutrition is always a work in progress! Mindful eating emphasizes forgiving yourself for choices you make. This may sound a little touchy-feely, but I really believe this. Feeling guilt about eating choices doesn't get you any closer to your goals, and certainly doesn't make you feel great. Be kind to yourself on your path to better nutrition!

This post doesn't cover the idea of mindful eating in its entirety. If you are interested in reading more about it, check out these links:

10 Principals of Intuitive Eating

M astering the Mindful Meal

Mindful Eating as Food for Thought

Staying Healthy - Mindful Eating