4 Tips for Mindful Eating

So often we eat our meals on the go, in a hurry and from beginning to end we have devoured our food in a matter of minutes. Did you even taste it? And of course, you don’t feel full so you go ahead and have another serving. Then guess what? We are stuffed.

Mindful eating (Mindfulness in general) is a huge topic. My purpose is from a simplicity perspective that focuses on being mindful of this activity. We do it three times each day. Let’s create a new simple habit to improve our health and our lives.

Simple, healthy life. Simple, healthy habits.

4 Tips to bring mindfulness to your mealtime.

1 Allow 20-30 minutes for the meal. Whether it’s breakfast lunch or dinner, each need a dedicated 20-30 minutes. Why? It takes 20 minutes for hormones to signal our brain to tell us we are full. Take your time and eat very slow. It may seem weird or even uncomfortable at first but trust me, it will bring benefits such as eating less, feeling satiated and better digestion. It will combat against overeating, upset stomach, indigestion and weight gain. It’s simply healthier to only eat until we are just full. If you have trouble slowing down, you can start by using your non-dominant hand, at least until mindful eating becomes a habit for you.

2 No cell phone, laptops or television during the meal. Looking at devices and T.V. takes the focus away from the food and the activity of putting nourishment in our bodies and places it elsewhere. We cannot notice anything else if we are looking at our phone. I have been guilty of it myself. Mindlessly eating bite after bite without noticing one thing about the meal. You may think that’s okay if you are eating alone since you are not ignoring your family or friends. I still say no. Because you are ignoring something equally important and that is yourself. It is a great respect for yourself to eat at a table without distraction in a relaxed manner. If it is a meal with family or others, it’s particularly not good to look at devices. You can practice mindful eating as a family with no devices.

3 Notice taste. Notice texture. Notice aromas. Look at your food. The colors and shapes of the food. Chew the food slowly noticing the flavors. Focus your attention on what you love about the food. We chose the food on our plate. Take enjoyment from the qualities about the food we chose. Notice the smells. Some smells evoke emotions and memories of a time our parent or grandparent made it for us. Notice the texture of the food as we chew. Parts are soft, or firm, rippled or smooth. Get your tongue involved. It may seem silly at first, but it is important. This life giving activity can become intentional instead of being disconnected from it. Pause between bites and leave a few moments of space in between.

4 Have gratitude. As you have slowed down the process of eating your meal, taking time chewing the food and noticing the flavors, smells and textures, sit with the feeling of gratitude. The pause between bites can be moments of gratitude for the meal and other good things in our lives. Not every human has a meal to eat at that moment. Think of the fortunate abundance in which your plate of food represents and be grateful and humble.

Mindful eating is a large topic including healthy food choices, consuming water with your meal and in between meals to curb appetite and so much more but I just wanted to bring you a “taste” of the topic. If you get a lunch break and most people do, make it a true break. Sit down away from your work, tune in to yourself (and family/friends, enjoy the food, the time and make it a relaxing activity. Keep trying it until it becomes a simple practice to implement into your day. You deserve the time to have a peaceful meal. You can conquer the world in 30 minutes but for now, let’s have lunch!

Enjoy the journey and always be true to yourself!

~Jen to the Zen

Enjoy the journey and always be true to yourself!

~Jen to the Zen