Mindful Eating: How to Build a Better Relationship with Food

‘There is no sincerer love than the love of food’—quotes Nobel Prize laureate George Bernard Shaw. People that’re bon vivant can relate to this statement better than others, as they’re constantly on the lookout for something to gorge upon every few hours. Mindful eating is an alien thing to them.

There are those who eat to live, and there are those who live to eat. The former eat at a steady and measured pace as they’re quite particular about their health, while the latter, in contrast, don’t care of the occasion but simply opt for an outing or a party where they can binge eat to their heart’s and stomach’s content.

This brings us to the topic of mindful eating. To put it straight, when you’re eating with ‘your mind’, you’re going to have a healthy lifestyle; otherwise it can prove harmful.

Its pretty simple to lose track of your relationship with food since we all live in a world replete with busy schedules, fast foods, and processed snacks. It is this hectic schedule that makes everyone rush through their meals with little attention, due to the habit of eating out of emotion or due to hurry instead of hunger.

Mindful Eating proves to be of great help in this regard as it isn’t merely about following a strict diet chart or firm rules but simply an approach that pushes people to slow down, savor their food, and enjoy what they’re eating—in short, mindful eating involves a practice rooted in self-awareness.

Benefits of Mindful Eating

To put it simply, Mindful eating is the practice of bringing undivided attention to your eating experience where not only do you know what to eat, but why and how you eat. Regularly practicing mindful eating allows people to engage their senses, notice the flavors and textures of food.

This makes you become more in tune with your body’s hunger, which is different from the traditional way of dieting as its merely about restricting certain foods. In contrast, mindful eating is totally non-judgmental where food isn’t labeled as “good” or “bad” but creates an awareness of how you perceive food.

Let’s look at some important benefits of Mindful Eating:

Boost in Digestion

One of the biggest plus points of mindful eating is that you concentrate on what you’re eating, thereby chewing it thoroughly and take enough time with each bite. This boosts digestion immensely, as chewing breaks down the food effectively, which in turn leads to the body absorbing the nutrients easily.

Eating at a slow pace allows your brain to catch up with your stomach, through which you recognize that you’re full and that prevents you from overeating.

Emotional Regulation

Food is one of the first things people turn to in times of stress or boredom. There is a difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger, which can be understood through mindful eating and tackled easily as well.

Once you rein your emotional triggers, respond to them by adopting healthier habits—walking regularly, yoga & meditation, deep breathing, hanging out with friends, etc.—instead of finding solace in food and drink.

Weight Management

If you want to keep your weight in check, opt for mindful eating and pay attention to your hunger signals so that you don’t indulge in unnecessary snacking. Not only will you start enjoying your food more fully, but also maintain a balanced diet.

Apart from daily exercises, the above point is an important way to manage things out in a smooth manner as it will keep your girth in check.

Mindful Eating Practice

Here are a few tips on how to practice mindful eating:

Engage Your Senses

As mentioned, mindful eating allows you to completely experience the aroma, texture, and taste of the food. While eating, savor the crispness, crunch, and softness of the delicacy. Engaging your senses helps you have a stronger connection with the meal and provide a satisfying experience.

Stray Clear of Distractions

To have a proper eating experience, keep yourself away from your TV, mobile phone, and work, as it completely disconnects you. Multitasking while eating can lead to overeating and mindless consumption that causes immense stress to an already overcrowded mind.

Try to eat in a calm, distraction-free environment where you can focus entirely on your food and your body’s cues.

Feel Grateful & Compassionate with Yourself

Before eating, take a moment to pray to God to appreciate where the food came from, its preparation, and the nutritional benefits it will have on your body. Your goal is to approach eating with curiosity rather than judgment.

Conclusion

Mindful eating is a lifelong practice where you don’t have to rely on making drastic changes in your eating habits. Small, consistent efforts can lead to a profound shift in how you relate to your body and the food you’re consuming.