What is it?

Mindful eating is not just about eating slowing or chewing your food less anxiously and longer. Mindful eating is about exploring and enjoying the eating experience. It is about becoming aware of the really good and nurturing opportunities that can arise as a result of thoughtfully selecting and preparing your own food. It is about utilising all the senses by choosing food that will really satiate and nourish the body. It includes acknowledging your likes, dislikes and other responses to the food that you eat. Conclusively it is just about being more aware of your physical hunger and when you are actually full in order to guide you on when to start eating and when to end it. It has a lot less to do with carbohydrates, fat, or protein. The purpose of mindful eating is not really to lose weight although there is a likelihood of weight loss for those who may choose to adopt the practice.

Here are FOUUR simple tips to get started with it:

1. Eat slowly without any distractions.

2. Listen to physical hunger cues and eat only until you are full.

3. Learn to differentiate between true hunger and non-hunger triggers for eating.

4. Always appreciate your food.

Here are FOUUR benefits:

1. It can help you with improving your digestions by eating more slowly.

2. You are prone to making more healthy eating choices by giving attention to how each type of food makes you feel afterwards.

3. You will get more pleasure from the food you eat because you slow down and savour the meals you eat.

4. You get to eat more healthily and in a balanced manner.

The aforementioned tips will go a long way in helping you to become more aware of your eating habits and essentially assist you in eating better. Hopefully the benefits are motivating enough to get you started on your mindful eating journey!

Sources:

Bjarnadottir, A. 2019. Mindful Eating 101 — A Beginner’s Guide. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mindful-eating-guide [Accessed 05 Sept. 2021]. Fletcher, M. 2016. What is Mindful Eating? Available from: https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindful-eating/ [Accessed 05 Sept. 2021].

Segal, J., Robinson, L. & Cruz, M. 2020. Mindful eating. Available from: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/diets/mindful-eating.htm# [Accessed 05 Sept. 2021].