What is "mindful eating"?
WHAT IS MINDFUL EATING???? 😋 🥬 🌮 🤔 🤷♀️
Mindful behavior is a practice of awareness: being conscious in the process of decision making. In this case, we are talking about being conscious about choices in the foods we eat.
What are some example situations that you may make mindless choices?
🔹 Social gatherings
🔹 Being at work
🔹 Going out to dinner with your significant other
🔑 The key to creating awareness with the foods you choose to eat is to gain knowledge and perspective on the situation at hand. It is the state of being conscious of something, specifically to know, perceive, feel and be cognitive of the event.
4 WAYS TO PRACTICE MINDFUL EATING
1. OBSERVE
Notice your body: Before you eat, is your stomach rumbling? Is your energy low? When you are in the mood to snack, what else is your mood telling you? Are you stressed out, feeling empty? Just start to notice how your body feels and when.
2. BE IN THE MOMENT
Be fully present in the act of eating. Turn the TV off, don’t look at your phone. Sit down and eat without distraction. Just start to notice - what is on your plate? Do you eat your vegetables first? Carbs first? How do you feel afterwards?
3. SAVOR THE TASTE
Notice the texture, aroma and flavor of the food. Is it soft? Spicy? Sweet, or crunchy? Which is your favorite part of the meal to eat?
4. PRACTICE NON-JUDGEMENT
When you take notice of all these things - treat it as neutral information. Speak mindfully and compassionately. Notice when certain words start to pop in your head: "I should have", "don't do this", and guilty feelings come in.
Awareness is the key that can lead to real change. In any aspect of your life, awareness is most of the battle - if you're in the know, you can make a change.