Most of us eat the way we do a lot of other things – walking, fidgeting with the hands or brushing the teeth. In fact, a lot of us brush our teeth more consciously and deliberately than we eat! So why is that a problem? Eating is just a daily function that we perform several times a day; isn’t it? Why then is it important to make a habit of mindful eating? Also, how do we eat mindfully?
Importance of mindful eating
Mindless eating makes us eat when we are sad or upset or bored; so we may often eat needlessly. It makes us eat without thinking or recognizing when we are full, so we may overeat. On the other hand, when we eat mindfully, we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings and eat accordingly. We eat when we actually feel hungry and we listen to our body and stop eating when we feel moderately satiated.
Mindful eating is thought to have many benefits: it helps in weight loss and improving health. It makes us realize that unhealthy food isn’t really as tasty as we mistakenly thought it to be. It makes us realize that food does not fulfill your emotional needs so that we actually pay attention to, and try to sort out actual issues vis-à-vis trying to use food to do so. Also, when we eat mindfully, we enjoy our food more. This satisfies our senses and satiates us, so that we end up eating less.
How to eat mindfully
Begin by shopping and planning meals mindfully. Don’t buy on impulse and consider the nutritional value of what you’re buying. Avoid pre-packaged items and stock up on fresh produce (avoid the temptation of buying those attractive packed items near the checkout counter). Learn to listen to your body when it tells you it’s hungry or full. Don’t eat simply because it is time to eat. Eat when you actually feel hungry, but don’t let yourself get so hungry that you’ll simply devour anything before you.
Eat at the table, preferably with family, not in front of the TV. Cut out distractions and make meal times about eating and about family. When you serve yourself, take a small helping to begin with. Experts also recommend keeping the size of the plate small – no more than a 9” diameter – so that we choose what to put on it more carefully. Smell the food and anticipate what you’re about to eat. Take small bites, and then chew consciously and thoroughly – between 20 and 40 times depending upon what you’re eating. Taste the food and appreciate the taste and the textures of each mouthful. Try to make out the various flavors that make up what you’re eating: the sweetness, tartness, spice, salt – pay attention to it all.
I also recommend eating with the hands as we Indians traditionally do. This involves more of our senses than if we used cutlery to eat. Since we touch the food, our tactile senses are also involved and more of the mind is engaged in the eating process. Eat slowly and savor each bite. If something is well cooked, be sure to appreciate and compliment who ever has taken the trouble to cook it. Mindful eating can take a bit of practice, but you will find it well worth the effort!