Mindful munchies: Eating well for mental and physical health

How often have you munched on your favorite popcorn while watching your favorite movie? Or grabbed that double cheese burst pizza and named it “working lunch”? While once in a while, such indulgence might seem to be harmless, regular practice can push you slowly towards poor health and lifestyle diseases like high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity, to name a few.

Practicing mindful eating can help you avoid unhealthy junk food and pay closer attention to the food you choose and eat. 

This article will tell you how to practice mindful eating for your physical and emotional health. 

What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating means paying full attention to what you eat, including what you’re buying, preparing, serving, and consuming. 

Mindful eating involves:

• Appreciating your food
• Eating slowly without any distractions
• Noticing the effect of food on your body and mind
• Engaging all your senses while eating – take the smell, feel the texture, observe the colors, 
• Learn to identify between true hunger pangs and ravings
• Listening to your true hunger cues

Benefits of mindful eating

Mindful eating has many benefits. Some of these are:

Better digestion

When you are mindfully eating, you chew your food slowly, which helps to break down the food well and promotes digestion.

Reduce stress

Mindful eating makes you more aware of your sensations and emotions, which helps to reduce stress.

Avoid overeating

Mindful eating can help you distinguish physical hunger from emotional hunger to avoid overeating. This can help with weight management. 

Mindful eating improves your relationship with food, so you don't abuse or feel guilty about food. 

Understanding the difference between mindful eating and mindless eating

Tips for practicing mindful eating

• If you’re completely new to mindful eating or considering trying it but feeling overwhelmed, here are some simple tips to help you get started.
• Avoid rushing through your meal. Seat down and enjoy your meal, chewing the food slowly.
• Focus on how the food makes you feel
• Eat in silence without any distractions
• Stop eating when you’re almost full
• Every time you eat, ask yourself why you are eating. Are you really hungry, or is it a craving? Is the food really nutritious and good for your body?
• Limit your portion size. One way to do this is to choose a smaller plate and eat all your food at once. 
• While this practice may initially feel overwhelming, continuing it will make it a habit. Start by doing this for at least one meal per day. That way, you won't feel overwhelmed. 
• Learn to appreciate your food. Take a minute to express your gratitude silently to all those who have made it possible to bring the meal to the table.
• Bring all your senses to the table, whether cooking, eating, or serving the food. Carefully observe the food's color, texture, taste, and smell.

Mindful eating at the workplace

Mindful eating is a practice you don't just do at home; you also cautiously practice it at work. 

Tips for employees

• Avoid eating while working. Instead, inculcate the habit of taking small breaks to eat your meal. Allocate a specific time to eat your meal away from work distractions. 
• Avoid watching your phone or laptop while eating. Instead, focus all your senses on the meal. 
• Learn to read your hunger cues to avoid overeating.

Tips for employers

• Promote a workplace culture where employees are encouraged to take a lunch break to enjoy their meal.
• Spread awareness through workshops and seminars about the benefits of mindful eating habits.
• Make healthy and nutritious food easily available at the workplace. 
• Make healthy eating fun! Conduct food drives, potlucks, or cooking competitions to encourage employees to adopt healthy eating habits and be more mindful of their food choices. 

Key takeaway

Remember, mindful eating is no quick fix. Like any other habit, building the habit takes a lot of practice and cautious effort. Take it slow and keep improving every day. You will be surprised to see all the positive effects on your mental and physical wellbeing. 

FAQ

What are the positive effects of mindful eating?

Mindful eating helps improve the relationship with food, helps build healthy food habits, and improves digestion. 

What happens when you eat mindfully?

Mindful eating helps you slow down, focus on the food you’re eating, be grateful, and make you notice it.

How can I enjoy mindful eating?

You can enjoy mindful eating by doing the following:

• Start your meal with a gratitude practice
• Eat without distractions
• Avoid multitasking while eating
• Pause in between bites and chew slowly