In our fast-moving world, eating often becomes a mindless activity -snacking while working, eating dinner in front of the TV and rushing through meals without truly tasting our food. 

Mindful eating is the practice of paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking. However, adopting mindful eating habits can transform not just your meals but your overall health and well-being.

Practicing mindful eating

You can practice mindful eating by;

Slowing down

Take your time with each meal, chew slowly and savor each bite. This aids digestion, prevents overeating by recognizing fullness cues and enhances the overall enjoyment and nutritional benefits of your meals.

Eliminating distractions

When eating, turn off the TV, put away your phone and focus solely on your meal. This helps you tune into your body’s signals and the sensory experience of eating while creating a good relationship with food. Meal awareness prevents overeating which leads to good health.

Noticing your hunger and fullness

Before you start eating, assess your level of hunger. Start eating when you’re truly hungry and stop when you’re comfortably satisfied; eat until you are satisfied, not until you are stuffed. 

Engaging your senses

Take a moment to appreciate the appearance, smell and taste of your food.  Noticing the textures and flavors as you eat enhances the pleasure of eating and can make you more aware of your food choices.

Benefits of mindful eating

Improved digestion

By eating slowly and chewing thoroughly, you aid your digestion process. Full food digestion can help reduce bloating and discomfort, which ensures nutrient absorption, energy production, gut health and waste elimination, all which contribute to good health.

Weight management

Mindful eating will help you control your portions and prevent emotional eating all which will aid in natural weight management without the need for restrictive dieting.

Better food choices

When being mindful, you are more likely to choose foods that nourish your body rather than those that simply satisfy a craving. Mindful eating helps you understand nutritional value of different foods, enjoy balanced diets and avoid a lot of processed foods. This can lead to healthier eating habits and improved nutrition.