Slow down and savour with these 8 mindful eating tips
Picture this: The candles are lit, your Alexa plays soothing music as you settle into a comfy chair at your dining room table, ready to relax over a delicious home-cooked meal. There’s no rush, no stress, as you have all the time in the world to close your eyes and savour each bite.
Sounds blissful, doesn’t it? And probably nothing like the reality of your daily meals. You know, rushing between appointments while furiously trying to unwrap a snack bar, scrolling through your phone messages over a hastily thrown together lunch, or playing short-order cook to a family bouncing between homework, soccer practice and that last-minute project that just-has-to-be-done tonight.
We totally get it, and we’ve all been there. Yet, no matter how hectic your schedule might be, there are options for eating mindfully — which not only can give you a brief respite from the chaos around you, but can also help you eat less and lose weight.
Eat slower, lose weight faster
As your Weekly explains, mindful eating is simply focusing on the experience of eating. Studies have revealed that those who eat mindfully consume less calories overall than people who eat while distracted. This is probably because they notice when they are satisfied sooner and stop eating when they are—even if there is food still on the plate. Also, people who eat mindfully have lower body weight compared to those who report being more distracted and less aware while eating.
The science certainly makes sense. When you’re not tuned into what and how much you’re eating, you tend to enjoy food less, eat more and have less recollection of what you’ve eaten, making tracking more challenging.
The “ideal” scenario for more mindful eating involves finding a quiet place and removing all distractions, or even playing a meditation to focus on every aspect of your food. (We’ve even included an “Engage Your Senses While Eating” meditation from Headspace in the WW app for whenever you have such an opportunity.)
Of course, the reality is that, perhaps, you can manage that type of experience every once in a while. You should strive to do it at least once a week, if not more. The truth is there is a need for quicker, more realistic ways to mindfully eat by slowing down and focusing on meals.
Mind your morsels
The good news is, you have choices that can help set the stage for success. In fact, it’s estimated that the typical person makes more than 200 food-related decisions per day, most of which are automatic. By making a few adjustments and turning off your internal “auto-pilot” when it comes to food, you can slow down and tune into your next meal. To start, try some or all of these eight tips:
Keep your phone and electronics out of sight.
Take a moment to pause before eating and notice the colours on your plate.
Spend the first two minutes of your meal eating with your non-dominant hand.
Instead of cutting all of your food at once, cut as you go.
If you’re with a group, pace yourself with the slowest eater.
Shift back and forth between focusing on the conversation and how your food tastes.
Notice the different sounds each bite makes.
Set the table and plate your meal as if you were a guest in your own home.
Mindful eating can look different for each of us—some of you may enjoy spending time listening to a recorded mindful eating meditation, while others may not. Others might find eating while conversing to always be a stressor. The trick is to experiment to find what works best for you.
You might also find that the best-laid plans go awry. Perhaps you start out with the best intentions, only to get sucked into your phone. Don’t give up! Next time just put it in another room and give it another go. Getting distracted from time to time is normal, and sometimes we have no choice but to eat in a rush.
This week, take the first step in being a mindful eater by choosing a meal you would like to practice eating more mindfully. It could be a weeknight dinner, or Sunday breakfast, or any time you think would be a good starting point. Be patient with yourself, remember the eight tips, and take the time to enjoy yourself. Bon appetit!