Mindful eating |24 February 2023

When was the last time you sat down at a dinner table with family or friends to enjoy a meal? For many of us watching the news or our favourite TV show, scrolling through social media, checking our emails or working while we finish a meal has become second nature.

Then there’s the rush in the morning when taking the kids to school and going to work and we may find ourselves eating in the car or on the way to the bus stop and worse still in front of our computer when we get to the office.

The downside to eating in this way is the disconnect between your brain and your gut which can lead to overeating and a lack of awareness of your food and at the end less pleasure and satisfaction with your meal. Ideally we should be eating when our body tells us to by letting us know we are hungry.

But we often eat for reasons other than hunger such as when we feel sad, stressed, lonely, bored and sometimes even when we are happy as a form of celebration and in this way the act of eating is very much tied up with our emotions rather than our biological cues.

Eating mindfully however is the opposite of that as it allows you to listen more closely to your body and allows you to develop healthier eating habits and a better relationship with your food. If this term sounds new to you we will go through what it means, how it can benefit you and how you can get started.

What is mindful eating?

There is no universal definition of mindful eating but what it means is being present and fully aware of the food you are eating which enables a deeper connection with your thoughts, feelings and senses during and after a meal.

It is also about:

• Allowing yourself to become aware of the positive and nurturing opportunities that are available through food selection and preparation by respecting your own inner wisdom. 

• Using all your senses in choosing to eat food that is both satisfying to you and nourishing to your body.   

• Acknowledging responses to food (likes, dislikes or neutral) without judgment.

• Becoming aware of physical hunger and satiety cues to guide your decisions to begin and end eating.

It is important to understand that when a person chooses to eat mindfully it doesn’t imply that their eating habits suddenly becomes perfect and that they are eating the right foods at all times. There is no strict rule about the need to count calories, or avoidance of certain foods but choosing a diversified diet is a good place to start.

The focus of mindful eating is rather to get you to pause for a minute and engage all your senses and being fully present while you plan your meals, shop, prepare, cook, serve and finally sit down to eat. Mindfulness may not be suitable for everyone and may not be suitable at all times. If you think it might be hard you can choose to eat this way a few times in a week to become more attuned to your body cues and senses and progress from there.

Benefits of mindful eating

Over time you may find that learning to pay closer attention to the texture and flavour of your food as well as how you’re feeling as you take each mouthful will make you appreciate your food more.

Listening to your body cues for hunger or fullness means that instead of gobbling down your food you will learn how much of the food on your plate you actually want. This will prevent you from finishing the whole plate because the food is there or eating for emotional reasons. Slowing down and eating without distractions also means that there will be enough time for your stomach to register that it’s had enough. This will improve your overall eating experience.

As your body learns what it means to be satiated after a meal you may find it easier to stop unhealthy eating practices like grazing or snacking incessantly throughout the day. Being more aware of your senses and how food makes you feel may also make it easier for you to choose more nourishing foods. Once you understand that certain foods make you feel sluggish, bloated and tired after consuming them you may divert to healthier food options that makes you feel good. This will make it easier to maintain a balanced diet.

Eating more mindfully

Learning how to eat more mindfully can help improve your eating behaviour and enable a greater appreciation of your food. Let’s go through some strategies so you can start practicing mindful eating:

Start by turning off all devices which includes your phone, laptop, and television so that you can relax and enjoy your food without any distractions.

Learn to listen to your body. Recognise when you are actually hungry (physical hunger). What does hunger feel like to you? For example, hunger may feel like increased crankiness, fatigue, inability to concentrate and a grumbling stomach. Assess your hunger and satisfaction at the start, middle and end of the meal.

How much food are you dishing out? Start with an amount that you can finish without being overly full. Remember that you can always have some more if you’re still feeling hungry. Avoid excessively large portions that you then feel obligated to finish off.

As you start to eat take your time to chew your food well and pause between mouthfuls. Try to consciously savour each bite and appreciate the aroma, taste, texture of the different components in your meal. You should take a minimum of 20 minutes to finish the entire plate of food. This allows enough time for signals to be sent to your brain about how full you are. How do you know that you’re full? Although it can vary from person to person, fullness cues may feel like less enjoyment of the food, a comfortably full stomach with some pressure in the area, and loss of hunger. 

Choose foods that are nourishing and make you feel good. Try to diversify your diet by including a variety of food. Remember there’s no harm in eating an ice-cream today if that’s what your body wants just try to keep it occasional. Focus on fresh foods as much as possible and foods that give you an energy boost and improve your mood. Some good options include fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, fish, lentils, beans, eggs, nuts and yoghurt.

Although mindful eating may not work for everyone choosing to eat in this way helps with greater satisfaction and enjoyment of your food while staying attuned with your senses, biological cues and your feelings. It can also help you make healthier food choices and to foster healthier eating habits.

Thank you for joining us this week on our Eat for Our Health page. Look us up on social media - eat for our health Seychelles on Facebook.

Please get in touch by emailing eat4ourhealth@gmail.com and let us know how you’re doing with these ideas, or better still, let us know how we can help you.

Yours in health

The E4OH team