I came across an article in New York Times about ‘Mindful Eating’… Although I am already aware of this concept and its importance in weight management, I really like how it describes a mindful eating experience – ‘to meditate with food, expanding consciousness by paying close attention to the sensation and purpose of each morsel’. This article has made me think again about how much of my own eating throughout the day is truly ‘mindful’ and can I do better?
I ‘usually’ grab a rushed breakfast in the morning while trying to get two young kids out of the door in time for school. I eat lunch ‘at my desk’ most weekdays while getting things done! I know that I am not ‘perfect’ with being mindful on every eating occasion. However, there are times when I ‘sit down’ with my food and truly ‘taste’ each bite – the easiest way to do this is to put the fork/spoon down in between bites and chew slowly. These are the meals/snacks that are most enjoyable and satisfying. I think I am at my best with mindful eating while eating a piece of dark chocolate. I don’t want to overdo the chocolate so I try to fully enjoy the taste, texture, and flavor of that one piece as it melts in my mouth…try this the next time you get your favorite piece of candy and notice the difference!
I know that I will continue to have ‘distracted eating’ (term presented by Evelyn Tribole during a webinar on ‘Intuitive Eating’) episodes scattered throughout my busy routine. I think that’s okay as long as I am aware of this and don’t completely give up. I don’t think that we need to have an ‘all or nothing’ approach with mindful eating (or with any other healthy eating behavior that we may be working towards) – the more mindful we can be with each meal or snack the better! I am working towards getting more mindful with my meals and snacks as I can.
How do you think you are doing with eating mindfully each day? Do you do better during breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks? Do you feel a difference when you eat mindfully?