Mindful eating is the *seemingly simple act of paying attention and being present whilst you’re eating, allowing you to observe the physical and emotional sensations associated with it. There are now a number of studies highlighting the link between mindful eating interventions and a reduction in body weight and BMI.
*I say seemingly simple because although paying attention to your food whilst you’re eating may sound pretty straightforward, it’s something that a lot of us forget to do. Eating on the run, in the car, at your desk, in front of your favourite Netflix series or scrolling on Instagram are all common day to day practices. This is what we would call mindLESS eating which has been associated with weight gain and poor dietary choices.
In fact, one study published in 2005 found that people who eat while watching TV, working or driving eat significantly more food than those who eat without distractions.
So, how can mindful eating support weight loss?
Mindful eating can support weight loss in a number of ways, the first being that it makes you more aware of your internal cues (hunger and fullness). By paying attention to these cues, you’re better able to recognise when you’re full and respond in line with your goals as opposed to failing to recognise fullness and eating past a comfortable point.
Becoming more aware of your internal cues also allows you to better distinguish between these, and external cues, e.g. boredom or stress, that also often drive a person to eat. Recognising the difference between boredom and hunger means you are more likely to eat in response to your body’s physiological needs, rather than the external environment. This can help to decrease overall calorie intake and promote weight loss.
Finally, eating mindfully often leads to a slower eating speed allowing you to savour your food more. In turn, this can lead to greater satisfaction with smaller portion sizes and thus, support weight loss.
Below are some examples of how you can implement mindful eating in your life. Remember that mindful eating is a skill and takes practice, start small with one or two daily habits or cues and build on them over time.
- Set aside dedicated time to eat. Choose one meal a day where you remove distractions (phone, TV, laptop) and sit down at a table to enjoy a meal, even if it is only for 10 minutes.
- Choose one of the following cues to focus on throughout your meal; chew each mouthful thoroughly before swallowing, put your cutlery down on your plate between each bite of food, engage in conversation if you are eating with others.
- Implement a mid-meal check in, take some time to pause and consider the following questions; On a scale of 1-10, how full do I feel right now? 10 being uncomfortably full. How would I like to feel at the end of this meal? How can I act in line with my goals?
Other mindfulness practices like yoga, meditation and breath work are also helpful in reducing stress and promoting relaxation, hence, making eating mindfully a little easier.
