There are very few people that eat mindfully, and it shows. The obesity rate for those over 20 years of age is 40% in the United States! In Canada, the number is around 30%. If you could stand to lose a few pounds, mindful eating is a viable solution.
What is mindful eating and what are the benefits of mindful eating? In a nutshell, mindful eating is eating only when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full. It is also putting your full attention on the eating experience.
Most people don’t eat mindfully. They’re watching TV, talking, playing on their phone, or thinking about something else while they eat. These are habits that lead to overeating and weight gain due to a person not being fully present and aware of their food choices.
Try these tips to access the benefits of mindful eating:
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- Start with mindful shopping for mindful eating. Avoid the tendency to just automatically buy the same things you’ve always bought at the store. Instead, ask yourself whether or not an item supports your health goals before placing it into your shopping cart. Be mindful of each item you choose to take home with you. Even still, these days you can order online which can be beneficial to sticking to your meal plan.
- Remove distractions. Eat with minimal distractions. Turn off the TV. Put your phone away. Close your book. Ideally, you won’t even talk during a meal. Clear away all the distractions and just eat to participate in mindful eating.
- Start with a reasonable amount of food. The more food you put on your plate, the more you’re likely to eat. Start with about ⅔ of your normal amount. You can always go back for seconds if you’re still hungry.
- Put your full attention on your meal. Keep your thoughts on the experience of eating. This isn’t the time to think about work, your boss, your significant other, kids, or bills. Relax and focus your thoughts on mindful eating. The benefits of mindful eating including being fully present with what you are eating and how the food makes your body feel when you eat.
- Chew slowly and thoroughly. The faster you eat, the more you’ll eat. It takes a while for your brain to get the signal that you’re full. Eating slowly will help to prevent overeating. Take your time and chew slowly. The food isn’t going anywhere. Give yourself the chance to enjoy it when you are enjoying the benefits of mindful eating.
- Focus on the taste. Unhealthy foods often taste great if eaten quickly. Many of them aren’t so delicious if eaten slowly. Also, many healthy foods are more enjoyable if eaten more slowly. Really notice the flavor of your food, savor the food, and even think about the benefits of the food when you are practicing mindful eating.
- Here’s an interesting experiment. Take a piece of sweet fruit that you enjoy. It could be an orange or a small bunch of grapes. Eat the food very slowly and keep your attention on the flavor. You’ll find that it’s not easy to finish the entire fruit. Fruit is nature’s dessert.
- Now, take an unhealthy food and do the same thing. You’ll find it’s not that appetizing. Unhealthy foods are designed to be enjoyable when eaten quickly, since that’s how most people eat. However, when you slow down and eat unhealthy foods are not as appetizing.
- Only eat when you’re actually hungry. There’s no reason to wait until you’re ravenous. However, there’s also no reason to eat if you’re not hungry. Allow yourself to feel hunger before eating. If you eat when you’re not hungry, your waistline and your health quickly take a nosedive. The benefits of mindful eating include being fully present to what you are eating and why.
- Be grateful for your food. Have gratitude for the food you’re eating. It’s a privilege to have plenty to eat. You’re luckier than most of the world’s population. Gratitude is a part of mindfulness. The benefits of mindful eating with gratitude allows for the person to savor and fully enjoy the food.
Mindfulness is paying attention to your emotions, surroundings, and actions. It’s a type of self-awareness. Few people eat mindfully. We multitask while eating, and the result is overeating. This is extremely unhealthy, and it’s simply not an enjoyable way to eat.
Much of the eating experience is lost if you’re not paying attention. Eat mindfully and notice the impact it has on your life, not to mention you can appreciate the benefits of mindful eating.
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