Paying more attention to your food can have wonderful benefits. And no, not weight loss, as you may have been told before. This conflation (mindful eating and weight loss) ruins the idea of mindful eating because listening to your bodies’ satiety cues is important - but mindful eating is not about eating less and losing weight. Mindful eating is about deriving the maximum possible enjoyment from your food, learning more about yourself and your personal tastes, and more.
Rather than undergo the very daunting task of *POOF* becoming a mindful eater all the time, this week, I want you to simply find one time when you expect to eat alone. We’re going to call that a “Mindful Meal.” Try the following things:
• As you sit down to eat, take a few slow deep breaths and relax.
• Consciously begin to eat your meal - noticing the taste, texture, temperature and appearance of your food.
• When your mind wanders from your experience, don’t scold yourself. Gently refocus your attention on your eating.
• Notice any thoughts or emotions that come up during your meal.
• Try not to judge the thoughts or emotions, just be aware of them.
To learn more about the importance of mindful eating, check out this week’s Feed Your Life.
Sara Armstrong is the owner of Zoi Wellness Consulting. In addition to wellness coaching, Sara specializes in health education seminars, diabetes prevention and management, Health for EVERY Body, and worksite wellness design. You can email Sara for a free wellness consultation at sara@zoiconsulting.com.
