When was the last time you enjoyed your food? Enjoying food isn’t chowing it down to get it over with. It’s about taking time to nurture your taste buds. It shouldn’t happen fast, but slowly to digest your food well. A slow eating process tells your brain that it’s full, and it will take about 20 minutes to get that signal going. Mindfulness eating lets you enjoy food and help you lose weight.
Target Areas of Mindful Eating
Mindfulness eating is helpful in losing weight. People have a hard time losing weight and some don’t lose at all. Overeating is linked to emotional distress which results in weight gain. The idea is to face the issues so that you can practice mindfulness.
You may need to consult a medical practitioner if it’s hard to control your cravings. Binge eaters will eat a lot of food in which they can’t control. They will eat a lot in no time without thinking of the consequences. Mindfulness eating can help this issue.
How to Practice Mindful Eating
Harvard Education suggests being in the present when trying this technique. You should be calm while getting in tune with your feelings, thoughts, and surroundings. Make sure to do these when you’re ready. Mindful eating is also about food choices. It’s not saying you shouldn’t eat your comfort food but should eat in moderation. With mindfulness, you’re less inclined to have huge cravings.
- Practice mindful shopping by making a shopping list. You can avoid impulse buying when you do this. Make a list of fresh produce and avoid preserved food products. Stay away from the sweets area as well as chips aisles. You can also stay healthy when you pick low carb desserts instead of these.
- Don’t skip meals no matter how busy you are. That said, you must eat a full breakfast. Eat lunch and dinner on time and have some snacks between. Skipping meals will only lead to mindless eating.
- Be grateful for what’s on the table. You may utter some words of gratitude for the food and company. Take time to look at your food to see the beauty of your preparations.
- You must eat in small portions. To do that, you should buy a smaller set of plates. This can trick your mind to eat less. You can also try talking to your company in between bites. Remember to chew your food well and slow to taste all the flavors. This will let you enjoy the taste of the food and digest it well.
- Make every meal like you’re in a different place. Experience everything by smelling and hearing the sounds of sizzle from the pans. Treat it as an adventure and not a task you need to finish.
It’s easy to give in to food cravings, but the results are undoable. You’ll realize sooner that it can make you unhealthy if you don’t eat well. The weight gain is also fast and this might affect your self-esteem. Choose mindfulness eating if you want to protect your health and confidence.
