What is Mindful Eating?
Hint: it's the opposite of watching T.V. or working or being unconscious while eating!
Mindful eating is eating with intention and attention. Including:
- Look at each forkful (or spoonful) so your brain knows what's coming.
- using all your senses in choosing to eat food that is both satisfying to you and nourishing to your body.
- Becoming aware of physical hunger and satiety cues to guide your decisions to begin and end eating.
- Noticing and enjoying your food and how it affects your body.
Tips for eating mindfully:
- Sit down while you eat and be aware of your feet ( or your stomach area) when you sit down to eat or when your mouth waters with saliva. This prepares your body to eat and digest food.
- Say grace and/or consciously be thankful, silently or verbally, for all the people that helped to get this food to your table ( farmers, truck drivers, grocers, buyer and preparer).
- Turn off the TV while you eat
- Chew your food well ( at least 30 chews/per mouthful)
- Reflect on how you feel before eating your meal (Are you stressed? Bored? over hungry?)
- Try putting down your utensils after each bite, and then don't pick them back up until you have enjoyed and swallowed what you already have in your mouth.
