Food has a lot of power—it gives us energy to live our lives and provides nutrition for our bodies. But did you know that it can also provide emotional sustenance, and help us build a healthier relationship with ourselves? Mindful eating encourages us to be more conscious of what we choose to eat and why, and can promote better habits that benefit our physical and mental health. In this article, we will explore the benefits of mindful eating and how it can positively shape our relationships with food.
1. Re-evaluate Your Relationship with Food
Start with Simple Changes
- Eat smaller meals more frequently to limit overeating
- Incorporate healthier snacks in between meals
- Replace full-fat products with reduced-fat options
It is important to approach your meal times with a compassionate mindset. Have you ever heard anyone say that they “deserve” a treat? Most people say yes, and while this mentality is not bad in itself, it can lead to overindulgence if not kept in check.
Mealtime is a great opportunity to break unhealthy habits. Start by considering the impact that different foods have on your body. With good nutrition, you can experience a number of benefits such as improved energy and mood, better sleep quality, and a boost in your overall health.
Mindfulness: The Magic Ingredient
When it comes to re-evaluating your relationship with food, mindfulness is the key. Mindful eating is all about being aware of what you put into your body and how it affects you. This means recognizing the feelings, thoughts, and sensations associated with every bite you take. To practice mindful eating, try the following:
- Take time to savor and truly appreciate each bite
- Take deep breaths before you eat to to keep yourself in the present moment
- Eat slowly to avoid overeating
Creating new habits takes effort and determination. As long as you persevere, you will eventually get into the groove. Moreover, keep in mind that it is important to stay in tune with your body’s needs and approach food as fuel for your well-being.
The Importance of Balance
Of course, most of us still want to enjoy treats. And this is okay! A little indulgence here and there won’t make or break your progress. The key is to find a balance between healthy and indulgent foods.
For example, if you are craving a scoop of ice cream, why not add some chopped up fruit into it as well? For a pizza night, switch out some of the unhealthy toppings for vegetables. Or instead of opting for a full-sugar drink, why not choose a beverage with fewer calories and natural sugars?
These small changes can help you make healthier food choices in the long run and still be able to enjoy the occasional treat. All it takes is a little creativity and some effort!
2. Learn Ways to Approach Mindful Eating
- Understand Your Eating Habits: Getting to the bottom of why we eat the way we do is an essential part of mindful eating. Put yourself in examiner mode, take a step back from a situation and analyze objectively why you are doing whatever it is that you’re doing. Is it habit, boredom, stress, or do you truly feel hungry?
- Stay in the Present Moment: Mindful eating requires that we take the time to fully experience the pleasure of our food. Be sure to savor your food, and try to focus on the smells, textures, and flavors associated with each of your meals. That way, you’ll know if it’s truly your taste buds, and not your emotions that drive you.
- Rediscover Healthy Foods: Delve into the different health benefits of the foods you supplement your diet with. Aim to incorporate more nutrient-rich foods, look up some recipes, and try pairing tasty foods with healthful ones. For instance, you could pair a handful of raspberries with some Greek yogurt, to stimulate different flavor profiles.
- Eat Mindfully When Dining Out: It’s easy to overeat when dining out, whether it’s due to large portions, or a subconscious need to escape from the here and now. Try to stay present in the moment and practice mindful eating even when you’re outside of your own home. This could involve savoring the flavors one at a time, limiting how much you eat, or focusing on the conversation around the table.
- Pause After Each Bite: Putting your utensils down between bites helps to break the habit of wolfing down your food. Take the time to recognize how the food is impacting your body. Tune in to your body’s hunger pangs, and make sure they’ve gone away before taking your next bite.
3. Understanding the Benefits of Mindful Eating
Mindful eating has countless benefits for those willing to take the time and practice implementing it. It’s not only a great way to keep your weight in check and to give your body the nutrition it needs, but it also helps you reconnect with the present moment.
- Reducing Stress – Eating while distracted means you don’t appreciate your meal as much and can be linked to overeating. Mindful eating involves slowing down and savoring the flavors and textures, which helps reduce stress.
- Boosting Immunity – Instead of shoveling down food, focus on your body’s signals. Eating slowly and mindfully allows your stomach to produce the digestive hormones and enzymes needed to digest the food properly, leading to better nutrient absorption and boosting immunity.
- Retaining Awareness – The practice of mindful eating helps bring awareness into the moment, helping you decide what and how much you should eat before you start. It also enhances your awareness of hunger, satiety and fullness, so you can better control your calorie consumption and potentially prevent overeating.
It’s also worth noting that mindful eating can help to develop healthier eating habits and allow you to create a nutritious, varied and sustainable diet. As you reflect on what you eat, it’s easier to identify patterns that appear in our habits and then take the right steps to make changes.
Another benefit of mindful eating is that you can also reconnect with your food and appreciate it for what it really is. Knowing that food is so much more than just energy can be a reality check when it comes to our relationship with it.
Finally, mindful eating is a great way to create a deeper connection with your body. As you reconnect with your body, you can become more aware of your physical sensations, cravings and hunger signals. With this awareness, you can also start to recognize which foods make your body feel its best.
4. Develop Skills to Craft Healthy Eating Habits
Creating healthy eating habits is one of the most important steps we can take to ensure we are staying healthy and feeling our best. In order to learn how to craft these habits, we need to develop the skills required to do so.
Start with Awareness
The first step towards creating healthy habits is being aware of what we are eating – the food itself and the quantity. A useful way to practice this is to keep a food diary. For the next week, log what you eat and how much of it. This will help you become more aware of what it is you are consuming and can help you generate ideas for healthier options.
Set Goals
The next step is to set goals for yourself. What do you want to achieve? Do you want to cut back on sugar? Do you want to increase the amount of fresh vegetables you are eating? By setting achievable goals for yourself, you can begin to make changes in order to create healthy habits.
Choose Wisely
Once you have awareness of what you are eating and achievable goals set, you can begin to make smarter choices. Choose foods that are fresh, unprocessed and nutrient-dense. Incorporate whole grains, lean proteins, fresh vegetables and fruits, and healthy fats into your diet and limit unhealthy processed foods and added sugars. These smarter choices will begin to add to up to create healthier habits.
Be Flexible
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Flexibility is essential in order for learning how to craft healthy habits. It’s important to practice self-compassion and be mindful when making mistakes. We are all human and it’s okay to slip up occasionally. Just pick yourself back up and keep going the next day.
Reap Benefits
Once you’ve learnt to craft healthy eating habits, you can begin to experience the great benefits. Not only can it boost your physical health, but it can also help to improve your mental health and leave you feeling energised. By investing in learning how to craft healthy habits, you are also investing in your overall wellbeing.
When it comes to creating a positive relationship with food, mindful eating is a simple but powerful tool. By making mindful eating part of your daily routine, you can cultivate a healthy relationship with food that brings out the best in you and your diet!
