Eating Mindfully

Mindful eating is a lovely idea but can be challenging to incorporate into everyday life, or so it seems. What is it really, and how can we do it? Let’s start with the basics. Mindful eating is paying attention to every bite of our food, on purpose, moment by moment, without judgment. It’s an approach to eating that focuses on awareness and the direct experience of the food we eat. Mindful eating intends to help us savor the moment and the food and encourage our entire presence while we eat. When done correctly, it is a satisfying experience, and in an era where the TV is usually on in the background when eating most meals, it’s worth taking the time to do.

Slowing down while eating is not just a good practice, it's one of the best ways to get our mind and body to communicate what we need for our body’s nutrition. The body sends its satiation signal about 20 minutes after the brain, which is why we often unconsciously overeat. But, if we slow down, we can give our body a chance to catch up to our brain and hear the signals to eat the right amount. It's a simple yet powerful way to take control of our eating habits and ensure we're nourishing our bodies properly. 

Integrating mindful eating into our busy lives may seem challenging, but it's not impossible. The first step is to turn off distractions — close the computer, put your phone in an inaccessible place, turn off the T.V., and even close books, newspapers, and magazines. Your mind can only do one thing at a time. It can either write an email or focus on the joy of eating. By prioritizing our eating experience, we can fully appreciate the food and the effort that went into preparing it.

Think of sitting with simple bowls of rice and vegetables. You can become thankful as you consider the farmers who planted and tended to the food. Give thanks to the earth that nourished the roots of the vegetables, for the sun that helped give the food vitality, for the hands that created the bowl you’re eating from, and to the people who transported the food to the grocery store and put it on the shelf. Thinking of these things alone can help shift your mentality around your food being “fuel” to your body, becoming a beautiful practice of gratitude every time you eat. 

A beautiful web of connection brings food to our plates every day. By mindfully eating the hard work of so many hands, we honor everyone’s diligent efforts. The author Thich Nhat Hanh advises us to “close our eyes and deeply inhale the rich aroma of the food. Place each bite in our mouths, chew, savor, and relish—swallow, breathe, and repeat.”

Sitting down to a meal and being grateful for the food we are about to eat feeds us on many levels—body, heart, and soul. Staying present with what is in our mouths connects us to the delight of food. And paying attention while eating allows us to feel the fullness of our stomachs, which helps us quickly eat the right amount of food. So, may you enjoy and be deeply nourished by your next meal with the beautiful practice of mindful eating.

Thanks for reading! 🌻