Mindful Eating – what it is and isn’t
Mindful eating. Have you heard of it? It’s an approach to eating that has become more and more popular but also more and more misunderstood. So, let’s talk about it.
Mindful eating – what is it?
First off, we need to define mindfulness. According to Mindful.org, mindfulness is “the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Mindfulness is a quality that every human being already possesses, it’s not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it. “
When applied to eating, mindfulness “… helps us become aware of our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations related to eating, reconnecting us with our innate inner wisdom ...”
So, in a nutshell, mindful eating is paying attention to everything going on in relation to eating, without judgement. It helps us to become aware of our habits and beliefs, without having a specific goal other than awareness.
Mindful eating – what isn’t it?
Mindful eating isn’t eating slowly, putting down our forks between bites, or chewing thoroughly. Mindful eating is paying attention to what’s going on and how it feels. For example, we can be mindful about the speed at which we are eating, whether quick or slow. We don’t have to act a certain way in order to be mindful, we just have to bring our attention to the way we are acting/ being and how we feel about that.
Mindful eating isn’t a way to control our appetites or lose weight either. Mindful eating is a tool that can help us connect with our inner signals, whether that be hunger and fulness or the wide range of emotions that we also feel inside of ourselves.
Lastly, mindful eating isn’t always fun. In fact, mindfulness doesn’t make us feel better, but it does make us feel better. So, sometimes mindful eating helps us to connect with feelings that aren’t so fun, and that’s OK, because at least we are feeling them.
Are you a mindful eater?
If so, you are already aware of the benefits of eating in this way such as a stronger connection to your likes, dislikes, hunger cues, etc. You also know that eating mindfully can be done anywhere and the awareness that you bring with you to the eating process helps inform your decisions and choose what is best for you.
If not, please know that mindfulness is accessible to everyone and that mindful eating is a tool that you can practice and that will become more and more comfortable with time.
If you do want to practice, I would invite you to bring your attention to the here-and-now next time you are eating and try this simple exercise. I call it the 5-4-3-2-1 mindfulness moment : take a moment to acknowledge 5 things you see, 4 things you can feel (via touch), 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste.
Another easy way to practice mindfulness while eating is to pay attention to your first bite. What does it taste like? What temperature is it? What color is it? Do you like or dislike the food that you are eating?
Just remember, mindful eating is not a tool for manipulating what we are eating or how we are feeling but rather a way in which to connect to what’s going on.
For more information, feel free to check out the Center for Mindful Eating (https://thecenterformindfuleating. org/)
Cheers, Cora www.coraloomis.com