Mindful Eating: The Secret to Enjoying Food without the Guilt!
Have you ever had that feeling of guilt after eating a meal? Maybe you indulged in multiple servings of your favorite dessert, or ate a large pasta dish with your mom's famous pasta sauce. Suddenly, you start feeling bloated and think, “I ate too much again. How could I do this to myself? I'm such a failure. I'm bad.” Unfortunately, this can become a vicious cycle. But fortunately, there are simple and effective solutions to break it.
One way to break the cycle is through mindful eating, which is being fully aware of what and how you are eating. Mindful eating means being conscious of your thoughts and feelings connected to eating. Here’s a simple exercise to practice mindful eating in eight steps:
1. Before taking a bite, look at the meal before you—notice the colors and textures on the plate.
2. Take a deep breath in…, then slowly exhale—staying fully aware of your breath.
3. Give thanks for the labor needed to produce the meal (the sun, rain, farmer, grocer, and cook).
4. Observe your hunger and fullness signals.
5. Ask yourself, “How physically hungry am I?” (On a scale of 1 not at all to 10 really full).
6. When you put food in your mouth, become fully aware of putting food in your mouth—notice the different tastes, how you chew, and how fast you chew.
7. Give yourself permission to slow down by bringing full attention to the present moment.
8. Enjoy your meal.
It’s okay to get distracted while practicing mindful eating. Simply remind yourself that you are practicing mindful eating, use your attention to bring your mind back to fully concentrating on chewing, and engage in conversation or listen to some relaxing music. At least you’re not eating an entire meal on autopilot.
Though we want to avoid self-critical thinking before, during, and after meals, this may happen. If it does, notice the thought(s), but avoid judging them. Simply observe them, maybe thank them, and allow them to pass. Eating mindfully may help settle your thoughts down.
Approach eating as an act of self-care. When eating, you are nurturing and nourishing your body. Start by using mindful eating for a few minutes one meal a day. Mindful eating may help you avoid overeating and feel calmer. It may even help with eating disorders and food cravings.
If you want to learn more about mindful eating, check out the book Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hahn and Dr. Lilian Cheung, or Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food by Dr. Jan Bays. The Center for Mindful Eating also offers a variety of free recorded mindful eating programs.
Take a minute to think of one or two things you learned from this article that you can try at your next meal. Make a commitment to engage in these takeaways. Please consider sharing your experiences practicing the tips or techniques from this blog on our Facebook or Instagram pages.
