I'm at an age where I can recall life and its daily operations to be much simpler than it is now. In the context of nutrition, a topic and space I consume every day, this is surely the case. What I mean is that we’re bombarded with must-do’s, did-you-knows, buy-this-ands, how-to’s, anti-agings, and miracle solutions for nearly everything that ails us. However, every so often a term (a buzz-phrase) shows up and becomes an actionable experience that holds significant benefit. “Mindful eating” is one that comes to mind. But what is it?
Mindful eating stems from the broader philosophy of mindfulness, a widespread, centuries-old practice used in many religions. Mindfulness is an intentional, non-judgmental focus on one’s thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in the present moment. Mindfulness targets becoming more aware of, rather than reacting to, one’s situation and choices.
Mindful eating is the practice of being fully attentive to your food, your feelings, your hunger, and your satiety cues. It’s about eating consciously, engaging all senses, and acknowledging responses, feelings, and physical cues like hunger or fullness.
Incorporating mindful eating habits into daily routines isn’t just about eating slower or choosing healthy foods; it’s about nurturing a more intimate and conscious relationship with what we eat. By learning how to eat slower and more mindfully, we present the potential of enjoying meals more and becoming better attuned to our body’s needs, leading to improved well-being and satisfaction.
Mindful eating is an approach to food that focuses on your sensual awareness of the food and experience with the food. It has little to do with calories, carbohydrates, fat, or protein. The purpose of mindful eating is not to lose weight, although it is highly likely that those who adopt this style of eating will lose weight. The intention is to help individuals savor the moment and the food, and encourage full presence for the eating experience.
Diets tend to focus on rules of eating (what to eat, how much to eat, and what not to eat), with the intended measurement of specific outcomes. These outcomes are likely weight loss or, in the case of diabetes, improved blood glucose values and decreased A1C. All diets have the potential of success or failure based on weight outcomes. People may know outcomes are going to depend on their consumption and expenditure of calories and understand that this has to do with their behavior, but it is rare for individuals to sustain behavior change without seeing results. (Even with results it can be hard to sustain behavior change!) Behavior changes will be subject to daily stress and outside pressures and therefore difficult to sustain.
Earlier this year I was listening to neuroscientist Dr. Sandra Aamodt on the Ted Radio Hour discussing the tools inherent in mindful eating as a way to ditch dieting, or any other controlled manner of eating. She noted that one reason dieting is so hard is because the brain, when one is dieting, reacts the same way as it does to someone who is starving.
Your brain thinks you are experiencing a famine and responds accordingly so
that you are going to burn fewer calories as you move around because your
brain is trying to keep you from starving to death.
Dr. Aamodt goes on to tell listeners about her own weight loss struggles over the course of 30 years, which led her to research the concept of mindful eating. She learned that controlled eaters are more vulnerable to advertising, super-sized meals, and all-you-can-eat buffets. As she states, “Even the smallest of indulgences, such as a scoop of ice cream, can lead to a food binge.” Look at it this way, if you are one of the 45 million Americans who go on diets each year yet struggle with weight loss, you are not alone AND you’re not doing anything wrong AND unfortunately, you’re not likely going to make sustainable progress.
So, how do you nurture mindful eating practices? Here are seven steps:
(1) Honor the food. Acknowledge where the food was grown and who prepared the meal. Eat without distractions (television!) to help deepen the eating experience.
(2) Engage all senses. Notice the sounds, colors, smells, tastes, and textures of the food and how you feel when eating. Pause periodically to engage these senses.
(3) Serve modest portions. This can help avoid overeating and food waste. Use a dinner plate no larger than nine inches across and fill it only once.
(4) Savor small bites and chew thoroughly. These practices can help slow down the meal and fully experience the food’s flavors.
(5) Eat slowly to avoid overeating. If you eat slowly, you are more likely to recognize when you are feeling satisfied, or when you are about 80% full, and can stop eating.
(6) Don’t skip meals. Going too long without eating increases the risk of strong hunger, which may lead to the quickest and easiest food choice, not always a healthful one. Setting meals at around the same time each day, as well as planning for enough time to enjoy a meal or snack reduces these risks.
(7) Eat lots of plants (veggies and fruits), for your health and for the planet. Consider the long-term effects of eating certain foods. Processed meat and saturated fat are associated with an increased risk of colon cancer and heart disease. Production of animal-based foods like meat and dairy takes a heavier toll on our environment than plant-based foods so choose wisely, with one eye on how the animal was raised.
There is more than one significant health benefit associated with mindful eating. The connection between neurogastrointestinal physiology and stress suggests a foundation for the application of mindful eating to improve digestion. According to an article in Integrative Medicine, when the brain perceives stress, it releases chemicals that stimulate the gut-brain to divert blood flow away from the gastrointestinal tract and toward organs that support survival. When digestion is disturbed, the gut-brain communicates distress to the brain. Consequences include declines in mood and overall health. Counteracting this, mindful eating may reduce stress to establish an environment that optimizes digestive capacity. (1)
This short video from the Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health illustrates and advocates the practice of mindful eating. After watching, if your response falls into the too laborious category, you’re not alone. We know that new, actionable insights take time to become habits. Mindful eating may just be one that is worth the wait.
(1) Integrative Medicine (Encinitas). 2019 Aug; 18(4): 48–53: “Mindful Eating: A Review of How the Stress-Digestion-Mindfulness Triad May Modulate and Improve Gastrointestinal and Digestive Function”
Mary Daniel is a Certified Nutrition and Health Coach dedicated to the pursuit of good health, both for herself and others. Through her business, Your One Precious Life, Mary partners with clients and communities and in the spirit of collaboration, paves the way for health transformations.
Interested in a free health consultation? Visit: www.youroneprecioulife.com or email mary@youronepreciouslife.
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