Mindful eating is a great tool that can help you take back your eating.
If you're prone to emotional eating, mindful eating could be up your alley.
Mindful eating isn't a type of weight loss diet. Rather, it's a way of eating that applies mindfulness principles to help you build a healthier relationship with food over time.1
Here's a quick guide to mindful eating.
What is mindful eating?
Mindful eating is a way of eating that applies the principles of mindfulness.2
Mindfulness is an ancient practice that focuses on being fully present and engaged in the moment, free of distraction and judgment.3
In today's fast-paced world, mindfulness has become increasingly valuable because it can help people manage stress, anxiety and emotional wellbeing in healthy ways.4
The goal of mindful eating is to build a healthier relationship with food by paying attention to how, why and when you're eating, rather than eating automatically or in response to emotions.5
Although mindful eating isn't designed specifically for weight loss, research suggests it can improve eating behaviours, reduce emotional and binge eating, and may lead to modest weight loss for some people.6
For example, mindfulness-based eating programmes have been shown to improve self-regulation around food while reducing binge eating episodes.7
Growing evidence also suggests mindful eating may be particularly beneficial for people who struggle with binge eating or emotional eating.8
Summary
Mindful eating is a way of eating that applies mindfulness principles to help you build a healthier relationship with food. While the goal isn't weight loss, research suggests mindful eating can improve eating habits, reduce emotional and binge eating, and may support modest weight loss for some people.
How to practise mindful eating
If mindful eating sounds right for you, it's easy to get started.
Here are some simple ways you can practise mindful eating at home:
- Before you start eating, pause and express gratitude for your meal. Consider everything and everyone it took to bring this meal to your table.
- Chew your food slowly and thoroughly.
- Pace yourself and avoid rushing through meals.
- Eliminate distractions by turning off the TV and putting away your phone.
- Pay attention to how your food tastes, smells and makes you feel.
- Ask yourself whether you're truly hungry, why you're eating and whether your food choice will leave you feeling satisfied.
- Stop eating when you're comfortably full.
When you first get started, choose just one meal each day to practise these habits. Over time, mindful eating becomes more natural.
Mindful eating works hand-in-hand with mindfulness, so practising mindfulness in other areas of your life may also help strengthen these habits.9
Summary
If you'd like to get started with mindful eating, try incorporating some of the simple strategies above into your daily routine.
Blog written by Ryan Raman MHSC, RD
