Nourishing Knowledge: 5 Mindful Eating Tips That Can Improve Your Health
Photo: Pablo Merchán Montes / Unsplash
Even if you’ve stocked your kitchen with wholesome ingredients and healthy PTFE-free cookware, it’s easy to fall into the habit of rushing through meals, eating in front of the TV, or consuming more than your body truly needs. The consequences of these unhealthy eating patterns can be significant, contributing to excessive weight gain, digestive issues, and a range of other health problems.
Thankfully, mindful eating habits can help you find a path back to health and well-being. Below, we cover five mindful eating practices that can help you nourish your body at every meal.
1. Free yourself from distractions
Do you eat in front of your TV or while scrolling your smartphone? These distractions can lead to mindless eating, where you’re not fully aware of what or how much you’re consuming. This can lead to air swallowing, poor digestion, overeating, and a host of flow-on problems. It also robs you of the simple pleasure of eating tasty, nutritious food.
To foster mindful eating, create a calm and focused environment for your meals. Sit at a table, set the mood with pleasant lighting, and turn off screens and other distractions. If you’re in a noisy area, consider playing music or white noise to create a cozy haven for your meal.
2. Express gratitude for your food
Before your first bite, take a moment to recognize the effort that went into producing, preparing, and serving the meal. This simple gratitude practice can help you approach your food with a greater sense of mindfulness and appreciation.
3. Slow down and savor every bite
Instead of inhaling your meal in a rush, take your time and appreciate its flavors, textures, and aromas. This not only makes your dining experience more enjoyable but also allows your body to register fullness more accurately.
When you eat too quickly, you may overconsume before your body has a chance to send satiety signals. If you need help slowing down, try putting your utensils down between bites, chewing your food thoroughly, and engaging in conversation or contemplation while you do so.
4. Pay attention to your bodily responses
Mindful eating involves tuning in to your body’s natural hunger and satiety cues. So before you start a meal, take a moment to assess your hunger level on a scale from one to ten. One represents extreme hunger, while ten would be uncomfortably full. Aim to start eating when you’re around a four or five on this scale.
As you eat, periodically check in to see how satisfied you feel. Stop eating when you reach a comfortable level of fullness (around six or seven). This mindful eating practice can help you avoid overconsumption and align your eating habits with your body’s needs.
5. Pay attention to your emotional response
Emotional eating describes the practice of consuming excessive amounts of (usually unhealthy) food as a response to stress, sadness, or boredom. Mindful eating can help you break this cycle by increasing awareness of your emotional triggers and how they influence your eating habits.
The next time you feel a drive to eat excessively, pause and take a few deep breaths. Ask yourself if you’re genuinely hungry or if there’s a trigger lurking behind your desire. Consider alternative ways to release emotions, such as exercise, journaling, or talking to a friend.
Nourishing your body through mindful eating is a path to lasting well-being. It’s also the best way to nurture a healthier, more fulfilling relationship with the food you consume. So use the tips above as a baseline for developing your own mindful rituals around food.
