Imagine sitting down to eat a meal and being aware of everything taking place around you. You’re hungry but not famished. You can sense the air on your skin. You can hear the clock ticking on the wall. You notice the details of each piece of food on your plate. You see the green kale and the paleness of the lemon vinaigrette, the grill marks and toasted bits of garlic on the salmon, the roasted acorn squash, and the quinoa. Before taking a bite, you close your eyes, take a deep breath, and check-in. You consider how the food came to be. From the locally grown kale you purchased at the farmer’s market to the thought you put into preparing it, great care was taken to get the meal to your table. For that, you’re grateful. You put your fork down between bites, sip your chai tea, and check-in with your body. You savor each bite slowly, eating until you are satisfied, not stuffed. You’re done eating. No more. You probably think that all sounds too good to be true. But, it’s possible. It’s mindful eating.
Mindless Eating
For most of us, eating is automatic. We overeat, eat for comfort, eat when we’re watching tv, and have that special treat we crave when we’re stressed. However, it is possible to train ourselves to be more conscious of every bite. Research suggests that the practice of mindfulness could drastically change our relationship with food by reducing stress-related and distracted eating.
Mindful eating requires us to change the way we think about food. Rather than automatically cleaning your plate, you consciously pay attention to what your body needs and what it doesn’t.
We can exercise our brain in the same way we exercise any other muscle in our bodies. In this way, we are preparing our brains to be more focused and to pay attention better.
A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people who meditated before eating chocolate consumed fewer calories over time. The meditation group ate similar amounts of chocolate as the non-meditation group. Yet, the meditation group ate less in future meals to adjust for eating the chocolate. The findings suggest that mindfulness can help us become aware of what we consume and be prepared to balance a dietary indulgence with a save.
Mindful eating is not about what you can’t eat. It’s about having a non-restrictive, relaxed relationship with food. Mindful eating is not a fad diet. It’s listening to our bodies, promoting self-compassion, and permitting yourself to stop obsessing over your weight.
Why Does Mindful Eating Work?
Mindful eating is a less punishing tactic. Traditional diets present rules such as eat this, not that. Mindful eating focuses on internal cues. Most diets train us to pay attention to external signals. We need to learn to listen to our bodies. Are we hungry, or are we thirsty? According to Jennifer Daubenmier, an assistant professor in holistic health, we know what we should and shouldn’t be eating, but adhering to the rules is harder. Knowing and doing are not aligned. Daubenmier suggests that we don’t know how to stop eating for pleasure rather than hunger.
When we know better, we do better. Mindfulness practices are beneficial when behavior change is desired. Clarity and focus are crucial components of goal attainment. The better attuned we are to our body’s internal signals, the better we can resist stress-related, emotional, and other mindless forms of eating.
Weight Loss and Long-Term Health Gains
True change begins within. External motivators might help in the short term, but lasting change requires intrinsic motivation. Research suggests that mindful eating supports long-term health (Daubenmier & Collegues, 2016). Approximately 200 obese adults participated in a study where they all followed the same diet and exercise regimen. Half of the participants were given additional information on nutrition and exercise. The other half were taught mindful eating techniques, yoga, meditation, and eating exercises. By the end of the study, both groups lost the same amount of weight, but six months later, the mindfulness group had healthier “good” cholesterol (HDL) levels and lower triglyceride levels. One year later, the mindfulness group also had lower blood sugar levels. According to these findings, mindfulness was shown to have lasting benefits.
Eating in the Moment and Loving It
Although it might seem tedious to think about food in such an intentional way, it is possible. To be successful, you need to replace your automatic eating habits with mindful eating. If you keep practicing, mindful eating will become second nature. In turn, you will begin to dig below the surface level of change to discover how you can consciously choose what, when, and why you eat.
Once you are empowered by mindful eating, you open yourself up to its advantages, paving the way for lasting, thriving health.
LEARN MORE
Join me for a free talk on mindful eating, September 30th. Meet virtually with other individuals experiencing similar challenges in their relationship with food. Learn mindful eating techniques, eating triggers, and solutions. Three time slots are available: 12 PM, 5:30 PM, and 7 PM EST.
Please register by visiting:
