Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is an in the moment awareness of the experience of eating, including thoughts, senses and feelings during and after you eat. Research has shown that it improves digestion, regulates our appetite and helps us to reconnect with the pleasure of food.

In our modern world, meal times are often erratic and rushed, as we find ourselves eating while working, driving or walking, so we barely even taste our food! We often eat mindlessly as we sit on the sofa in front of the TV, shovelling food in, even when we are not hungry. Many of us have a complex relationship with food, eating to self soothe or alleviate stress. For those on perpetual diets, eating can become a source of guilt and shame. Mindful eating opens up an opportunity to appreciate food more and make a better connection with it. Some studies suggest that mindful eating can help combat uncontrolled emotional eating, freeing ourselves from unhealthy eating habits and promoting a healthier relationship with food. 

When eating mindfully, we are fully attentive and engaged. By paying close attention to the texture, colour, aroma and flavour of each mouthful, satiety cues, and how different foods affect your energy and mood, we can learn to savour both our food and our eating experience.

Mindful eating also means bringing non-judgment to the table. Rather than responding with self criticism and shame, we do so with tolerance and understanding, and see how our relationship with food begins to change. 

So how do we eat more mindfully? 

Here are some useful tips on how you can practice eating more mindfully.

Set the scene: Make a point of setting the table with cutlery, plates and glasses, and try adding flowers or candles to the table to create a sense of ceremony.

Open your senses: Notice how your food looks and enjoy the aromas before taking your first mouthful. Listen out for the crunch of a nut or pouring water into your glass. Notice the burst of different flavours that explode in your mouth as you take each mouthful, and where in your mouth you detect these flavours. Notice the different textures too. 

Slow down when eating: Chew your food well and take time to pause while you're eating by putting your knife and fork down between each mouthful

Give yourself time: It takes 20 minutes before the body recognises that it's full, so eating slowly means you won’t be reaching for that second helping. Keeping your portion sizes small encourages you to eat less.

Silence is golden: Eating in silence enables you to focus on the act of eating. This may not be possible or appropriate when eating with other people, so try to find another time in the day when you may be able to enjoy a peaceful cup of tea.

Avoid distractions: Try to avoid eating while in front of the TV or computer, reading, or on the phone so that you can relax and enjoy your food in the moment. Research has shown that watching TV while you eat, makes you eat more, while focusing your full attention on eating results in less food being consumed.

Reflect on your thoughts and feelings: Recognise when you are eating for reasons other than physical hunger e.g. emotional hunger. Emotional hunger will usually create a craving for a particular food whilst physical hunger is more likely to be satiated by any food. Recognising emotional hunger without judgement, and satisfying these emotions by enjoying food slowly with all four senses can support you with emotional eating behaviours. 

Gratitude: Show your appreciation for the food that you eat. This encourages us to be fully present before we start to eat. 

When you eat, just eat: If you try to multitask when eating, you won't fully appreciate your food and are less likely to feel satisfied. Even if you are just having a snack, really enjoy it by giving it your full attention. 

Eating mindfully enables you to enjoy what you're eating whilst being attuned with your body and acknowledging your thoughts and feelings, thereby encouraging positive eating behaviours. 

Although practising mindful eating may have a role to play in some with formal eating disorders, it may be unsuitable for others, especially in acute phases.