Unless you make a conscious decision to pay attention to what you are putting in your mouth, practicing mindful eating can be a very challenging endeavor. When you are used to a specific way of eating and it has become a habit over the course of years, as is common with the majority of people, it is going to take more than just a few days to correct the behavior.
When you are used to a particular way of eating and it has become a habit over the course of years, In the following few paragraphs, you will discover a method that has been thoughtfully created to show you how to include mindful eating into your daily routine.
8 Tips For Mindfulness When Eating
Raise Your Own Level Of Self-awareness
Attempting to raise one’s level of self-awareness for even a short period of time can be one of those things that, at the same time, can be extremely unsettling and instructive for the person doing it. If you spend a lot of time by yourself or in seclusion, you might develop routines that, if you were to divulge them to the general public, some individuals might find peculiar.
This can be shown in the form of unhealthy eating habits, such as binge eating and eating too quickly. A person who engages in this behavior could shovel food into their mouths at such a rapid pace that they don’t even genuinely enjoy the food that they’re eating, and the experience is nearly completely devoid of pleasure.
Before you start eating, you should make an effort to monitor how you are feeling. Keep in mind that this is not a race, and that if you eat more slowly, you will be able to savor your food and have a greater sense of satiety as a result.
Just Take Some Time To Savor
Have you ever ordered a dinner, just to find out that it was completely below your expectations, and you ate it anyhow just to get it over with? It is essential to make a distinction between the meals that you eat because you are bored and the meals that you eat because you love them in order to avoid overeating.
It’s possible that you’ll be astonished to find that you don’t really pay much attention to some meals, and that eating is just a formality for starting or ending the day. You are aware that foods of higher quality and that are healthier will almost always taste significantly better, so taking an inventory of what you really feel will assist you in making superior choices.
Stay Clear Of The Zombie Tech Binge
It’s not a good idea to eat while watching a nice show on television or browsing the internet because it can be highly detrimental to your eating habits. This might cause you to lose control of your eating, and you may find yourself eating the entirety of a bag of snacks that were intended to last for a week.
It is much simpler to maintain control over the amount of food that you consume when you have fewer distractions. The time you spend preparing and eating your meals should be spent cultivating positive habits that will pave the way for improved and more healthful decision-making in the future.
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Rate How You Feel
Before you sit down to eat a meal, think about how hungry you actually are. It’s important to determine your mental state before you eat that way you don’t find yourself eating out of emotional distress.
Try some of the following questions to help get in touch with mindfulness when eating:
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how hungry am I?
- When was the last time I ate?
- Have a drank enough water?
- Could the hunger pains in fact be dehydration?
- Am I wanting to eat because of stress?
Think In Terms Of Calories In And Out
Weight loss is simply a mathematical formula- Eat less and burn more calories. Although you don’t want to develop a bad relationship with food, it’s still good to think in terms of how many calories you could be consuming.
The next time you think about splurging on a sweet treat, think about how many calories there are in that one treat. Now, think about how many minutes you will have to exercise to burn those calories off. Now, is it worth it?
Mindfulness when eating is all about being aware of the food you eat. While you don’t want to guilt trip yourself into not indulging once in a while to your favorite treats, you still need to be aware of what is going in your body.
If ever you feel you need to know the calories of something before you consume it, just do a quick Google search to help you make up your mind if your favorite sweet treats fall into your calorie budget.
Compare And Reassess
Along with being mindful about the quality and calorie amount you are consuming; you also need to take that mindfulness when eating a step further by comparing your favorite binge worthy foods with healthy options.
Again, you don’t want to label food into a “good” or “bad” category, but you do need to be mindful when comparing food items. Let’s say you love Skittles! Well, that delicious 100 gram bag of Skittles equals 405 calories. If you’re still craving something sweet swap those Skittles for 100 grams of banana that only equals 95 calories. See the difference?
This type of mindful thinking will only help you in the future to make wiser choices and switch empty calorie foods for nutritious ones.
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Final Thoughts About Mindfulness When Eating
Mindfulness when eating is not a fix all for losing weight. But it will put you on the right path for a healthy lifestyle which can lead to a slimmer waistline and healthier food choices.
Like anything in life, learning how to be self-aware of your environment, foods, feelings, and more don’t happen overnight. It takes time to develop and implement a state of mindfulness in your everyday life.
Start being mindful when eating by tackling one mindful tip at a time to ease into the full eating mindset!
Works Cited
Mindful Eating 101 — A Beginner’s Guide (healthline.com)
58 Science-Based Mindful Eating Exercises and Tips (positivepsychology.com)
