The answer is a big, resounding YES! Mindful eating is an extremely effective way to lose weight as well as to have a healthy diet which helps to ensure the well-being of the body, mind and the soul. Mindfulness in eating is all about being completely aware of what we are eating, why we are eating, and how it is ultimately affecting our feelings, mood, our body as well as everything around us.
Remember that mindful eating is not a dieting fad. It does not revolve around stressing over how much calories we consume during each meal. On the contrary, it’s more about consciously identifying the cues, triggers, and conditions which push us towards unhealthy food. It focuses on changing the very way we eat so as to ensure that the body gets maximum nourishment.
Here is how you can incorporate mindful eating into your weight loss regimen:
Appreciate the food
As indicated in the book, Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, don’t eat while working or being engrossed in a web series. Stuffing breakfast down because you are late for the office is a big no-no too! Instead, employ your senses while eating food. Make it a royal experience in itself.
For instance, if you pick up a banana, don’t eat it hurriedly. Look at it for some time and think about why you are eating it. Will you savor the experience? Will it make you happy? Will you be completely immersed in this experience or will you be stressing over other things while eating it absent-mindedly?
This 10-second pause will actually make you more conscious of the food you’re eating and the effect it will have on your body. It will also make you think twice if you’re simply picking up food because you are bored, stressed out or unhappy.
How to eat: Feel the banana in your palm. Feel the texture, look at the color, and smell it. Let your mind know that you are going to eat it. Then eat it slowly.
While eating, chew the food at least 7-10 times and breathe in and out steadily through the nose. This practice will help you to lower stress and anxiety. Additionally, eating slowly and savoring each bite will ensure that you don’t overeat.
If you are eating fresh, organic food - not something that is processed - then congratulate yourself. You are forming a connection with the earth by eating something that’s been grown organically. The complete opposite of that would be to eat junk food. Such snacks have no nutrient content, at the same time, they don’t do anything to harmonize the body, mind, and soul. But eating something that is good for you in this state of complete consciousness is a very healthy practice that will enhance your mental and physical health.