How Does Mindful Eating Help People Make Healthier Food Choices

How Does Mindful Eating Help People Make Healthier Food Choices Have you ever watched a TV show and found you couldn't remember the plot or storyline? Have you ever hung up the phone and forgotten what you were discussing? If you answered yes to these questions, you are one of many people who go through their regular lives without paying attention. We've all had times when our minds strayed due to deadlines, upcoming events, family issues, and so on, since we're always thinking about the past, present, and future.

Mindfulness is a practice that focuses on nonjudgmental observation of one's thoughts, emotions, and body sensations in the present. Mindfulness has been connected to increased psychological well-being and has been shown to benefit people's eating behaviors (Chang, Huang, & Lin, 2015; Keng, Smoski, & Robins, 2011). Mindfulness can help us recognize preoccupations and drive us to return to the present moment (Armand, 2015).

How Does Mindful Eating Help People Make Healthier Food Choices

Mindful eating emphasizes well-being and how we eat rather than what we eat. It includes paying attention and being fully aware of our thoughts and feelings when eating. Mindful eating entails eating slowly and deliberately, avoiding distractions while eating, paying attention to the body's hunger and fullness cues, eating foods that are both pleasing and nutritious, and being aware of and acknowledging our food reactions (Martin, Prichard, Hutchinson, & Wilson, 2013; Mathieu, 2009).

We don't usually overeat while we're hungry. We typically overeat because meals have evolved into a social event that we enjoy with family and friends. Distractions such as televisions, laptops, phones, and social media all contribute to overeating since we are not paying attention or aware of how much food we are eating. Mindful eating activities help people become more aware and responsive to hunger and fullness cues, as well as environmental distractions (Martin, Prichard, Hutchinson, & Wilson, 2013). 

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Benefits of Mindful Eating

Mindfulness can help us maintain a healthy relationship with food and choose foods that are both delicious and nutritious (Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria Inc., 2014). Mindful eating exercises have been shown to benefit individuals, including:

• A restored sense of hunger and fullness.
• Weight Loss Management and Maintenance.
• Higher self-esteem and a sense of empowerment.

Challenges of Mindful Eating

With our hectic daily schedules, it may be challenging to include mindful eating practices. We have hectic work schedules, childcare responsibilities, and familial obligations. These commitments, along with the widespread availability and accessibility of fast food restaurants, may make it challenging to adopt mindful eating practices into our daily lives. Living in a productive atmosphere increases the temptation to eat fast food for lunch or chew on quick, unhealthy snacks while working (Mathieu, 2009). 

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Strategies for Integrating Mindful Eating

Incorporating mindful eating strategies into our lives may be tough. We must alter our environment and cognitive processes. The strategies listed below will assist you in practicing mindful eating and developing long-term eating habits.

• Ask and reflect. Before you eat, consider whether you are hungry or thirsty, and what you want to eat or drink. Consider your mood: rushed, worried, unhappy, or bored (Armand, 2015).
• Use a smaller plate. The less you see, the less you will consume. Smaller plates provide for more control over portion size (Armand, 2015).
• Don't clean your plate. Don't stuff yourself. It's okay to leave food on your plate. Stop eating when you're full, save leftovers for later, or trash the last few bits.
• Smaller serving utensils. The use of smaller serving utensils promotes eating less.
• Out of sight, out of mind. You may avoid second and third servings by taking serving dishes and entrees off the dinner table.
• Easy access. Good food selections, such as fruits and vegetables, should be readily available in cabinets, cupboards, and refrigerators to encourage mindful eating habits.
• Control the portions. To avoid overeating, buy things in smaller, single-serving packages. Avoid eating immediately from a large box or bag.
• Eat anytime you feel hungry. Allow hunger signals to govern your eating, not emotions. Substitute physical activity for a snack until you're actually hungry.
• Keep a mindful eating journal. To discover food triggers, record what you ate and what was going on at the time. Examples include hunger, worry, enthusiasm, and boredom.
• Slow down. Chew softly and enjoy every mouthful of your meal. Place your fork down between bites to slow down your eating. Drinking water in between bites gives the body enough time to signal to the brain that it is full, not crowded.
• Sit down and pay attention. Do not multitask. Remove any technology from the dinner table. Eating at the dinner table rather than in front of the TV or computer allows you to keep better track of your food consumption.

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Conclusion

Mindful eating allows you to focus on your current thoughts and experiences while eating. By employing mindful eating practices, you may improve your current eating habits by being more self-aware and sensitive to your body's hunger and fullness signals. Mindful eating can enhance the sensory experience of eating while decreasing consumption of harmful foods (Arch, Brown, Goodman, Porta, Kiken, and Tillman, 2016).

Because of our fast-paced existence, mindful eating poses challenges that may lead to poor dietary choices. However, using positive methods helps to overcome the obstacles and allows for the application of mindful eating practices.

FAQs:

How can mindfulness promote good eating?

Being mindful of your meals allows you to focus on the scents, textures, tastes, and taste of food. Use your senses to determine your likes and dislikes. This may help you connect with your dining experience and become more aware of what you're eating.

Why is it vital to be attentive of what we eat?

Being mindful of what you eat can help you digest more effectively, stay full with less food, and make better eating decisions in the future. It can also help you break free from unhealthy eating habits.

What changes to your food choices when you eat deliberately versus intuitively?

Previous research has found a link between poor eating habits and poor mental and physical health [30, 31]. Another study discovered a constant association between mindfulness and lower energy intake, less impulsive eating episodes, and healthier snack options. 

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