What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness simply is a way of being fully aware of what is going on in a moment. This practice can be applied to any part of your life, but when applied to eating it often can help you meet your goals for weight loss in your obesity treatment plan. This practice is being aware of yourself emotionally, mentally and physically. Let’s look at how that happens when eating.
What is Mindful Eating?
Many of us will eat without being mindful or what we are eating. Have you ever sat down with a bag of popcorn and suddenly realized you were at the bottom of the bag and don’t remember a single bite? Mindful eating takes the concept of mindfulness and applies it to why, when, where, what, and how you eat. Following are some tips of how to recognized the who – what – why of eating.
• Observe your body. Notice hunger and fullness signals that guide you to start and stop eating. When you are getting ready to reach for food be sure you are physically hungry and not “feeding” an emotion.
• Do not judge yourself or your reaction to food.
• Notice your reaction to food. What do you like, what don’t you like? Stop and really notice if you are eating something you like.
• Savor your food. While eating, notice all of the colors, smells, flavors, and textures of the food. Ask yourself – Is it a flavor you enjoy?
Mindfulness may help you to avoid overeating. First bites may be the most satisfying, and additional bites may not be as pleasurable. This can help with portion control.
BE AWARE Ask yourself, “Am I…..”
•Physically hungry? (on a scale from “1” to “10”)
•Eating quickly or slowly?
•Dining in-the-moment. Am I mindlessly munching or noticing each bite?
Each of these questions and techniques will guide you towards a relationship with food that is about fueling your body and being sure that it isn’t about “feeding” an emotion – be that anger, sadness, happiness. We need to change this relationship and learn to eat when we are physically hungry 🙂