What Is Mindful Eating?

If you’re food secure, you’re eating numerous times throughout the day.

You might feel too busy or too stressed to take a break to eat, but how often do you eat without distraction or interruption?

How often do you savor the food and drink that you’re consuming?

Chances are you’re eating on auto-pilot and not paying any attention to the way food tastes, feels, and impacts your body and brain.

Mindful eating allows you to stop, slow down, and really pay attention.

• Be conscious of the activity. Follow a single bite from start to finish, Dr. Naidoo recommends, and pay attention to the sounds of cutting the food, the smell as it wafts up to your nostrils, the texture of the food as it reaches your mouth, the flavors that change as you chew, and the feeling as you swallow your food.

• Recognize your body’s signals. We’ve all experienced that deep, growling feeling in our stomach when we’re hungry. This is a signal. Cravings are also signals, but they don’t necessarily mean you need food. Sometimes we experience cravings when we’re feeling stressed or anxious. As you begin mindfully eating, journal what you’re eating and how you feel before, during, and after.

• Slow down your eating so your body and brain can communicate. When you eat quickly, you don’t usually experience fullness as quickly, and this can lead to overeating .3 In the process of slowing down, you allow your body and brain time to communicate.

• Socialize over food. “The act of preparing and sharing meals with others is a social activity that has withstood the turbulent test of time, and we know that social engagement is a pivotal factor in our well-being,” says Dr. Naidoo. Joining a friend for dinner or cooking with a loved one can help you practice more mindful eating, all while supporting your mental health.

• Focus on the sensory details. With each new food, Dr. Naidoo suggests paying attention to one sensory aspect, such as the smell of an orange as you unpeel it, the sound of your lunch bag unzipping, or the sight of the bright carrots and beet hummus.

• Practice mindfulness throughout your day. If you want to work on mindful eating, it will help to incorporate mindfulness into other areas of your life. Dr. Naidoo suggests adding affirmations to your morning routine, practicing yoga, exercising, or trying guided meditation. Mindfulness, in any form, can help you stay grounded and present.

Mindful eating is not a diet. The purpose of mindful eating isn’t to lose weight or cut back on calories; the purpose is to improve your relationship with food and overall eating experience.

Knowing the negative impact of certain foods on your body doesn’t mean you have to remove those foods from your diet. With mindful eating, you can learn to enjoy the taste and feel of a single chocolate chip cookie, for example, as opposed to eating half a dozen without realizing it.