7 Steps To Mindful Eating

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One would ask what is mindful eating? Well, it is in the practice of noticing the beautifully fragrant smells, the vibrant rainbow of colors, the sweet or savory robust flavors and a mixture of textures in your food. It is the process of chewing slowly, focusing on your food without the many distractions of today, such as your phone, TV, tablet, computer or any technical device.

Taking the time to truly enjoy the experience of eating, while giving gratitude in the moment of replenishment has been an eastern practice for many years. Unfortunately, due to time restraints and the increasing lifestyle choices, mindless eating has become increasingly common. It is imperative to keep in mind, what you eat, how you eat and when you eat can profoundly affect your ability to live a long and healthy life. Here are a few steps to eat mindfully.

Choosing healthier foods

Mindful eating starts before you ever sit down at the table to enjoy your food. Having access to the right foods is imperative to ensure a healthy meal and a mindful eating experience.

Ensure you are choosing whole foods and unprocessed food whenever, and where ever possible. This would include a well-balanced diet of hearty vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, and lean dairy, meats and fish. A well-balanced diet is key to a healthy lifestyle.

Only eat when you’re hungry

Now this is a one rule that is easy for some and difficult for others, as some people snack emotionally or out of boredom and part of social rituals. For those who are social eaters the simple rule of only eating when your hungry is a major element here. Excess calories and weight gain are always hand in hand, so only eating if you’re hungry, is key as well as choosing healthy snack between meals, is imperative.

Eliminate all distractions

Although getting distracted seems to be the norm these days, with many of us unwinding in front of the TV or chatting on the phone. This zoning out while we eating doesn’t allow us to be mindful of what we put into our bodies This is actually called “mindless eating” rather than “mindful eating.” To eat mindfully, you need to set aside all distractions and really get focused what your eating your food.

Take deep breaths

Before eating, it is been said that taking a few deep breaths to calm your mind, resets our hunger cravings. This allows you to keep the Hangry action in check thus allowing you to look at your emotions before eating. Over eating, ravenous eating and mindless eating will be quickly reviewed in this process and eliminated if isolated.

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Enjoy your food

Enjoying your food would mean you are bringing all of your senses to the table, thus giving you a chance to really enjoy the experience. Notice the smells, the texture of the food in your mouth and the taste of different ingredients, all while chewing slowly and deliberately. Take your time, and avoid rushing. This is also a great time to eliminate the thought process of “cleaning your plate” rule.

Allow your thoughts to flow freely

While most of us like to chat, read or socialize, our mind naturally wanders while eating, especially if you’re distracted by others around us.

It is up to you to simply re-focus on eating slowly and deliberately with each bite regardless of what is going on around us. Be conscious of each bite you take, even taking a rest between eat bite to allow your stomach to process. Mindful eating is a method and thought process that takes time to learn and master. So, take your time and quickly reset whenever you may fail.

Express gratitude

To express gratitude in your food, is to acknowledge the time and effort not only put into preparing your food but those who assisted in making it available to you.

To become thankful that you get to enjoy your nourishing food by savoring each bite, and expressing gratitude before and after you eat is a process of nourishing your body and re-programming your mind.

Happy eating and enjoy!