Mindful eating is based on mindfulness, a Buddhist concept that helps you be in the moment while recognizing and acknowledging with emotions and physical feelings and learning to cope with them. Mindful eating is about using mindfulness to reach a state of full attention to your experiences, cravings, and physical cues when eating. Soniyaa Kiran Punjabi, Founder of illuminations Well-Being – UAE’s Premier Center for Holistic Healing, Mental Well-Being & Personal Growth gives her tips on mindful eating.
I meditate regularly and this has helped me become more mindful in my everyday activities, including how I eat my food. Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present, from moment to moment and tuning in to your inner wisdom. As a wellness expert, mindfulness is one of the most important tools I teach my clients.
Mindful eating is to enjoy what you eat without being distracted – it’s appreciating the colors or the sweetness of the apple you bite into, it is enjoying the crunch and crispness of the salad greens, and being fully present as you enjoy every bite of a gooey chocolate pastry. What mindful eating is not is – sitting in front of the television and realizing that you went through a whole bag of potato chips.
While food brings comfort and joy, it can also cause anxiety and self-defeating thoughts. Mindful eating can help you develop habits that help you maintain a healthy weight and increase positive feelings associated with food.
Here are my top 5 tips for mindful eating.
#1 Tune into Your Body
Many of us eat food to mask feelings that we don’t want to feel. Sometimes, when we are upset, we reach out for our favorite carbohydrates or “comfort food” as they can help release serotonin, a chemical in the body that helps boost mood and reduce stress. If you know you are upset, it is better to take some time before having a meal. You can also choose a healthy sandwich instead that give the same serotonin rush. Take time to scan your body to check if you are mistaking thirst for hunger or perhaps, you are just bored.
#2 Enjoy your Food
Make sure that you relish what you eat – and you will see that over time, you will favor ingredients that are fresh-tasting and nutritious. It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to signal the body about a feeling of fullness. So, take time out to chew mindfully, so that you recognize when you are content with your meal.
#3 Digital Detox During Mealtimes
This may be tough for many who are used to eating in front of the television or fiddling with their phone. I would suggest taking baby steps towards a digital detox till it becomes a habit.
#4 Choose When You Decide to Indulge
Life is about love, joy, and happiness. I choose to indulge in my favorite foods when I am out without feeling any guilt. I balance it by having healthy choices at home and being mindful about making sure that I give my body the nutrition that it needs.
#5 Decide If You Like It
Sometimes, you may eat things out of habit. For instance, you may bite into a warm buttered toast and really enjoy the crunch of the toast. However, you want to have a second one, but it may not give you the same joy – these are the decisions that can be taken when you mindfully eat.
Mindful eating is a simple way to improve your relationship with food. Choose one or two of these tips to begin eating mindfully and you will see that it will make a difference.
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