Put simply, mindful eating is the opposite of mindless eating…
Mindful eating is a skill which involves how we eat, rather than what we eat.
When we are able to focus our attention and awareness on our food habits, we can start to foster a positive and enjoyable relationship with food.
Mindful eating helps us tune into our body in the following ways:
Becoming more aware of internal cues around hunger and satiety (fullness), which can help us to make decisions about when to start and stop eating
Choosing to eat food that is both pleasing and nourishing to the body (ie. what food will really satisfy me right now?)
Identifying personal triggers for mindless eating (for example, emotions like loneliness or boredom, or certain social situations)
Some simple strategies to build your mindful eating skills include:
✔️Before you eat, ask yourself some basic questions like Am I hungry? Am I thirsty? What food/drink do I feel like?
✔️Make the time to sit and enjoy your meal! Try not to eat “on the run”
✔️Eat slowly and pay attention to the taste, smell, texture or look of the food
✔️Check in with yourself during the meal. Stop eating just before you feel full. Try not to eat just because its on the plate
✔️Enjoy your food. There is a difference between feeling full and satisfied. Feeling satisfied is the result of enjoying a meal. You can be full but unsatisfied, which may lead to further eating.
Food should be both nourishing and enjoyable.
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