When you see the term Mindful Eating you might have an idea what it means. I thought I did when I first saw it. I guess I did in a simplified version but the more I learned about it, the more it really opened my mind. It also opened a new door regarding the way I eat.
Over-simplified, mindful eating is being aware of what you’re eating and being aware of what your body actually wants. – Angie Beechan LuvSavingMoney.com
If you’ve tried to follow just about any app, diet plan, or “lifestyle change” program recently you may have heard things like “Are you really hungry or are you actually thirsty?” or “Do you really want that chocolate cake or are you eating it just because it’s there?” Things of that nature. That’s part of it.
If you think the opposite way and think about “mindless eating” one might picture someone sitting in front of a tv throwing down a whole bag of chips. Or grabbing a cookie from the cookie jar every time you go past because it’s become habit. They might not even realize they’re doing it all the time, it’s almost become automatic.
I’ve been learning about mindful eating through Noom but I’m seen it mentioned in several places recently. So mindful eating would become more aware of your habits, your surroundings, and your triggers. Learning to slow down and appreciate your food without preventable distractions such as cell phones and televisions. Learning to appreciate the flavors in your food, the textures, the sources and ingredients. If you’re wondering about lunch with friends or dinner as a family, it’s actually beneficial. Sitting around a table eating and talking rather than sitting wherever you land while playing on your phone. Taking in the atmosphere, the smell from the foods, etc.
So maybe that’s an extreme example but it does help me to slow down and enjoy the food more and appreciate it. It’s not inhaling Doritos while writing a blog post (cough cough I have no idea who used to do that).
Sometimes it’s catching yourself when you mindlessly grab for the cookies on the table and you say to yourself, “ok Ang, you’ve already had a cookie but you’re not really hungry” or “I think I want it because it’s sweet and crunchy, l’ll eat an apple instead.”
So I hope this post has helped you understand the mindful eating buzzword a little better.
