Mindful eating starts with being conscious of every bite you take. It involves employing mindfulness techniques to cultivate a heightened state of awareness towards your eating habits, sensations, and emotions.
Mindful eating focuses on your eating experiences, body-related sensations, and thoughts and feelings about food, with heightened awareness and without judgment. This practice emphasizes acknowledging one’s body cues, cravings, and thoughts surrounding food choices with a sense of curiosity and acceptance.
The overarching aim is to enhance the enjoyment of meals and develop a deeper understanding of one’s relationship with food: what to eat, why we eat , how much to eat, and how to eat.
Seven key practices of mindful eating
#1 Honor the food
Acknowledge where the food was grown and who prepared the meal
#2 Engage all senses
Notice the sounds, colors, smells, tastes, and textures of the food and your emotional responses when eating
#3 Serve in modest portions
This approach can assist in preventing excessive consumption and reducing food waste
#4 Savor small bites
These practices can help slow down the meal and fully experience the food’s flavors
#5 Eat slowly to avoid overeating
If you eat slowly, you are more likely to recognize when you are feeling satisfied
#6 Don’t skip meals
Set meals at around the same time each day, as well as plan for enough time to enjoy a meal or snack
#7 Prefer a plant-based diet
Processed meat and saturated fat are associated with an increased risk of colon cancer and heart disease.
