Mindful Eating: What It Is and How to Practice It
In this article we will be discussing mindful eating. Mindfulness is a concept which follows basic principles such as presence, non-judgement and acceptance. These principles will be explained and we will look at how we can bring this into our eating habits to practice mindful eating.
What else can you read throughout this article?
- Presence: How To Bring Awareness to Each Moment
- Non-judgement: How to Observe Without Judgement
- Acceptance: How to Allow What Is
- How to Practice Mindful Eating
Presence: How To Bring Awareness to Each Moment
When we are mindful, we are in the present moment. Often, our minds tend to focus on situations from our past or potential situations in our future. The aim of mindfulness is to bring our attention back to the present and observe it for what it is. When we are in the present moment, our senses are engaged, and we focus on what we currently see, hear, feel, taste, or smell. We are aware of what is happening around us and experience it fully. Someone who is mindful will be in touch with their senses, thoughts, and feelings. Being in the present moment means we are able to detach from our thoughts and be in conscious awareness.
Non-judgement: How to Observe Without Judgement
When we are experiencing situations, thoughts and feelings we are in the position to observe them from a place of non-judgement. Non-judgement means we are not labelling them as good or bad. When we are aiming towards a place of non-judgement it is helpful to feel the sensations in our body instead of trying to describe them with labels and stories. For example in the past we may have labelled anger as a bad emotion leading to repression of this feeling, this can lead to this anger building up and becoming much worse over time, if we do not judge our anger but accept it and allow it to pass then we are able to bring our attention back to the present moment. This increases our ability to be mindful.
Acceptance: How to Allow What Is
An element of mindfulness is acceptance of what is. A person who is mindful will be detached from thoughts about their past and future. The past no longer exists, and the future is just a projection of our thoughts; the only thing we are ever truly experiencing is the present moment. When thoughts of the past and future come up, we can acknowledge them and let them go, reminding ourselves to return to what matters: the present.
When we are in the present moment, if there is something we want to change and have the ability to change, we can do so. If we do not have the ability to change it, we can accept it for what it is. If a situation cannot be changed, it will happen regardless of our thoughts and feelings about it; therefore, it is most helpful for us to meet it with acceptance, and often, this means that it passes with less discomfort.
Any uncomfortable situations we encounter, we can choose to accept; otherwise, we are in a state of resistance, which leads to suffering. This means we do not avoid our feelings; we should acknowledge and feel through them; this allows them to pass rather than leaving us to dwell in them. When we ruminate on uncomfortable situations, we emphasise their existence. Try to observe your situation, thoughts, and feelings from a place of non-judgement and let them go.
This can be difficult for us because we often want to control the uncontrollable, but freeing yourself from the burden of fixing what is unfixable is an act of compassion towards yourself.
How to Practice Mindful Eating
Once we understand the basic principles of mindfulness we can then look at how this can benefit our eating habits. We want to use the same concepts of mindfulness while eating to improve our ability to be present and accepting so we can create a better relationship with food.
The first aspect of mindful eating is considering where our food comes from, this connects us on a deeper level to our food and allows us to have more respect and gratitude for our meals. When practicing mindful eating we should be very aware of our senses during the process engaging our sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch allows us to have a better connection in our eating experiences. We want to slow down our eating, chewing each bite carefully and focussing on acknowledging each texture and flavour. The aim is to be as present with our food as possible, this means clearing our minds, avoiding rushing meals, or stopping distracting activities such as watching tv or working before we begin our meals. Once we have eaten our meals we stay present with our body thinking about how the meal made us feel. Things such as satisfaction and energy levels may be considered while judgemental feelings such as guilt can be let go of, this helps us in making food choices in the future as we remember how food impacted our body.
In conclusion mindful eating is a practice that can be learnt and improved with time. With the rise of mindfulness as a treatment for physical and mental health issues mindful eating was developed. Studies have shown positive links between mindful eating and those struggling with obesity as well as eating disorders. This method of eating can support people to create sustainable lifestyle changes.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Question: What are the concepts of mindfulness?
Presence, non-judgement and acceptance.
Q: How do we link mindfulness to our eating?
A: Engaging our senses, slowing down and staying present in our bodies.
Q: What are the benefits of mindful eating?
A.: Studies have shown positive links between mindful eating and those struggling with obesity as well as eating disorders. This method of eating can support people to create sustainable lifestyle changes.
