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According to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an average American spends almost three hours a day eating, and half of that time, they are doing something else.
People spend 32% of their time thinking about the past or future. That doesn't leave much room to focus on the present!
Our satiety queues don't kick in and we eat more than we need to. Here are some tips on how to eat. Yes, that's right. How to eat! Seems simple but we bet you've never thought of these. Be mindful when you eat. Make good food choices and focus on your meal when you eat. This will help you pace yourself and be self-aware. You’ll eat less and make healthier food choices.
Mindful eating is the practice of eating with intention and attention.
Intention means actively deciding what you’re eating and not just reaching for the food that’s in front of you.
Attention means focusing on the meal while you eat(not distracted by today’s to-do list).
Mindful eating slows you down and increases your self awareness. This way you eat fewer calories and make healthier food choices.
Multitasking while eating(such as watching tv, or scrolling through the phone) tricks your brain into eating more.
Studies show that people who eat mindfully
Lose more weight
Sustain weight loss
Develop healthier eating habits.
How Can You Eat More Mindfully?
Now that you know all the benefits of mindful eating, you must be thinking about how to incorporate this amazing eating technique into your daily routine.
Don't worry we are here to help you. Here are a few simple yet effective steps to get started eating mindfully:
Slow Down & Listen to Your Body:
Stop eating rapidly past full and ignoring your body's signals; instead, slow down and stop yourself when your body is saying it's full.
Slowing down is the best way through which you can get your mind and body to communicate about your real needs and nutrition. Our body takes some time to adjust the production of hunger-related hormones and send its signals to the brain, which is why we often overeat unconsciously.
One of the simple ways to slow down is to follow your grandmother's manners of eating, like sitting down to eat, putting your fork down between bites, chewing each bit more than twenty times, and all those old manners which may not be as pointless as they seemed.
Know Your Body’s Hunger Signals:
Going for your third meal of the day, and it's just an afternoon. Are you sure you are that much hungry? Just stop for a while before grabbing another thing to eat and think, does your body really need those, or are you just responding to your emotional wants?
We often listen to our minds first, but we may find more benefits in many mindfulness practices if we turn to our body's needs first.
Rather than just eating when you get emotional due to stress, loneliness, sadness, or even boredom, listen to your body. Is your stomach growling? Are you feeling lightheaded? Is your energy low?
We are not telling you to starve yourself; just listen to your body carefully, and it will give you signals of hunger. True mindful eating is when you are aware of whether you really need food or just eat out of emotion.
Remove Distractions:
We all have that experience of going to the movies with a bag full of popcorn in our hand, and after some time, we are asking who ate all of that popcorn.
Whenever we are distracted, it becomes difficult to listen to our body's signals about hunger. So try to be attentive while eating your food. If you are at home, turn off the TV and enjoy your food, and if you are at work, stand up from your computer desk and eat at a calm place so that you know what and how much you are eating.
With single-tasking and just sitting and eating your meal with no screen and distraction, besides enjoying your food, can bring more mindfulness into our daily meals.
Engage Your Senses:
Instead of rushing through meals, take a moment to engage your senses fully. Notice the vibrant colors, enticing aromas, and diverse textures of your food. As you savor each bite, pay attention to the flavors dancing on your taste buds and the nourishing sensations coursing through your body. By immersing yourself in the present moment and relishing the eating experience, you become more attuned to your body's hunger and fullness cues, making it easier to make healthier choices and maintain a balanced weight over time.
Deep breaths
Taking five deep breaths before a meal can be a transformative practice in promoting mindful eating, especially for those aiming for weight loss.
Close your eyes, inhale deeply, and exhale slowly, allowing tension to melt away with each breath. This simple act of centering yourself brings awareness to the present moment, creating a space for mindful consumption.
As you sit down to eat, your mind is calmer, and your body is more attuned to its true hunger cues. By starting your meal with this intentional pause, you set the stage for making conscious choices about portion sizes and food selections, ultimately supporting your weight loss journey with greater clarity and control.
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