The Art Of Mindful eating
By Shereese Ijewere
The journey to a lifestyle change can receive a great boost if we did more mindful eating says Shereese, as she takes us through what it is, and how to acquire this useful skill.
Mindful eating is eating with intention and attention. Eating with intention of caring for yourself, and with attention necessary for noticing and enjoying your foods and the effects on your body.
Mindful eating allows you to become aware of the positive and nurturing opportunities that are available through food selection and preparation by respecting your own inner wisdom.
With eating mindlessly you are just putting food into your mouth almost unconsciously, not really tasting what you’re eating.
Practice Of Mindful Eating Is…
1. Recognizing when your body just needs water – example, most people snack instead of reaching for water, and before they realize it, a lot of unnecessary calories would have been consumed.
2. Paying attention to:
a) The textures and the flavours plus how it makes you feel during and after eating.
b) What you’re eating – is it healthy or not? Making those choices that support health and well-being.
c) How full (or sated) you are before, during and after eating.
d) Where the food came from, who might have grown it, how much it may have suffered before it was ‘killed’ through processing?
Whenever you notice you feel like eating – pause and ask the question ‘Am I hungry?’ This brings awareness, responsibility and helps empower you to break old habits.
Use the Mindful Eating Cycle, as developed by Michele May M.D as a guide
Why?
Why do I eat? Or in other words, what is driving my eating cycle at any given time?
When?
When do I feel like eating? When do I think about eating? When do I decide to eat?
What?
What do I eat? What do I choose from all the available options?
How?
How do I eat? How, specifically, do I get the food I’ve chosen into my body?
How much? How much do I eat? How much fuel do I consume?
Where?
Where do I invest the energy I consume? Where does the fuel I’ve consumed go?
Benefits Of Mindful Eating:
1. You become aware of food choices and eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re sated.
2. You become aware of how to really taste food, and enjoy the taste of healthy food.
3. You slowly start to realize that unhealthy food isn’t as tasty as you thought, nor does it make you feel good.
4. If you’re overweight you begin to loose weight.
5. You become aware and can sort through the emotional issues you have around food and eating.
6. You make changes to social overeating as it becomes less of a problem – you can eat mindfully while socializing, with practice, and not overeat.
7. You become more present and more in control of eating.
8. You awaken to how food affects your mood and energy throughout the day.
This is being mindful. It’s not acquired overnight but takes practice.
Remember we are all on a journey. JUST BEGIN!
Culled from TW December 2016 edition…
