4 Tips for Practicing Mindful Eating
In this day and age, eating on the go and while doing other activities has become the norm.
It’s convenient to be able to grab a quick bite while you’re driving from one place to the next. And how nice is it to sit down in front of the TV with your favorite snacks after a long day?
There is nothing wrong with doing something else while eating.
After all, adding food into our daily routine is comforting. But doing it too often could lead to forming habits that are less than desirable for your lifestyle.
When we eat while preoccupied, we are not being mindful of our food consumption. Food goes in, and our minds are totally distracted by another activity.
Sometimes we aren’t even paying attention to the fact that we’re actually eating.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in this position. It’s just so darn easy to mindlessly eat while doing other things!
I wanted to find a way to change my eating habits, and that’s when I discovered the practice of mindful eating.
It is fairly easy to put into practice, and you don’t even have to completely give up eating in front of the TV or on the go!
Before we dive on in, let’s get a better sense of what mindful eating is all about.
What is Mindful Eating?
Mindful eating is the simple practice of being aware while consuming nutrition.
Many times when you’re not paying attention to eating, your brain does not always realize that the body is consuming food and may continue to release hunger signals.
This can leave us feeling hungry shortly after mealtime and may also lead to overeating.
When you practice mindfulness while eating, you’re able to be present and aware of what is happening. It helps the mind to be in tune with the body.
A friend of mine just started practicing mindful eating in the past few weeks and has already seen huge results.
He told me that he now finds himself eating better meals and also enjoying them much more. He’s taken it a step further by adding mindful cooking into his routine as well!
Practicing mindful eating can absolutely do the same thing for you!
There really are so many benefits to be gained and I promise you won’t be wasting your time. The implementation is easy and the benefits follow quickly!
There is one important thing I want you to remember as you begin practicing mindful eating for yourself:
mindful eating is not about making yourself feel bad about your nutritional choices. It is simply about being more present in the moment as you are eating.
After all, eating should be an enjoyable process!
So let’s talk about a few ways that you can start being more mindful during mealtime.
Tips to Practice Mindful Eating
1. Have an Established Dining Space
While eating at your desk or in front of the TV is convenient, it can also lead to mindless eating. Being present while eating also helps us to enjoy our meals more!
Whenever possible, it is best to have a designated location for eating meals that keeps your mind focused on eating and supports an enjoyable dining experience.
At home, the dining table is a great place to eat because it is literally designed for that purpose! Keep it clean and welcoming so that it makes it easier to want to eat there.
If you aren’t at home (or even if you are), try to eat outdoors when you can.
Being exposed to nature can help you feel more grounded. Even just breathing in the fresh air can help tune you into your meal.
You can also find or create your own ideal happy place for eating that is tailored to your needs.
Be as basic or creative as you’d like with this! Just remember to make it a spot that is easy enough to rely on regularly.
2. Be Free of Distractions
When you’re distracted while eating, you typically are not paying attention to what you are putting into your mouth.
Having an environment that is free of too many distractions can make it much easier to naturally be tuned into what you’re eating.
Try sitting at the table and eating a meal completely without distraction. No TV, phone, or anyone else to distract you.
It may feel awkward at first, but notice how tuned in you are to your meal and what you are doing. Interesting, right?
While you definitely do not have to eat every single meal like this, practicing limiting distractions while eating will surely allow you to become more mindful as you munch!
Sometimes being distraction-free just isn’t possible. I totally get that. The cool thing is that you can still practice mindfulness even in these moments.
This next tip can help with that in particular. 🙂
3. Think About Your Food
While you’re eating, how often are you thinking about the food you’re putting into your body?
Not the choice you made when you put food on your plate. I’m talking about thinking of every single bite as it hits your mouth. Most of us never really do this on a regular basis.
To truly be mindful while you’re eating, you must think about your food and the action of eating as it is happening.
This is perhaps the most important and beneficial technique for mindful eating!
That’s because it really helps you focus on your food.
It’s also great because you can practice this technique all on its own – even if you aren’t able to eat in your happy place, free of distraction. (Total win!)
Try this…
Engage all of your senses while observing your food. How does it look? What are the details in its appearance?
Does every spoonful look the same or different? What does it smell like? Can you smell the underlying tones of flavor? Is it robust or do you find you have to search for a scent?
Take a bite of your food.
What does it taste like? Can you taste all of the ingredients? Does it remind you of anything?
What do you enjoy most about the flavors?
Is the bite warm or cold? What textures can you feel? Are the texture and flavor the same in each bite?
Does your food sound like anything? Is it sizzling? Is it crunchy when you bite into it?
Exploring these questions along with others as you eat allows your mind to connect with your body and focus on a single task together.
One reason I love practicing this technique is because it has helped me to gain a greater appreciation for the food I eat and it’s truly helped me to enjoy my food more.
I eat slower and have found that I’m more aware of what I’m putting into my body as well as why I made that choice.
4. Practice Food Gratitude
Being grateful for the food that you have is another way to practice mindfulness during mealtime.
As you’re thinking about the food that you’re consuming, take a moment to express gratitude for that meal.
Think about all of the work that went into preparing the meal.
Where did each ingredient come from? How much time and effort went into growing and harvesting it all? Isn’t it wonderful that you are fortunate enough to be able to consume it?
When we think about where our food came from and the effort that went into producing it, we can gain a deeper appreciation for what we put into our bodies.
* * *
Mindful eating is a healthy habit to practice because it connects your mind and body and helps you to be aware of when and what you are eating.
Plus it is something that is easy to implement! It just takes a little practice.
So the next time you pick up the fork, remember to find your eating happy place and free yourself from distractions.
Really think about your food as you’re consuming it, and be grateful for each element.
Your body’s physical health and mental health are intertwined. Keep both in balance by regularly practicing mindful eating!
What are your favorite ways to practice mindful eating? Let me know in the comments below!
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