As the holiday season progresses, many of us will find ourselves in situations and at gatherings where food is abundant. Humans deal with such a spectrum of dilemmas around eating habits. If we are fortunate enough to live without food scarcity, often the opposite problem presents – an abundance of highly palatable foods! These foods are incredibly enjoyable to eat and are part of our social traditions.
The human brain and body have wonderful protective mechanisms in place to guard against survival threats, including starvation. Physical hunger (stomach growling,), appetite (a desire for and a drive to consume food), and metabolism downshifting are among some of these mechanisms. While useful in a famine, these survival mechanisms coupled with an abundance of highly palatable foods can make it difficult for us to resist overeating. Our biology causes us to be drawn to highly caloric and highly palatable foods. Most of us can relate to sitting down to a meal and suddenly we realize our plate is empty, but we can’t recall much about the food that we just ate. Learning to eat mindfully is way to consciously adapt to this food environment.
As an alternative to simply restricting foods that are less-nutritive, eating mindfully can help us to cultivate a healthier relationship with food, to be more in touch with our eating experiences, slow down to enjoy and savor food. Mindful eating is not a diet, nor does it involve restricting any types of foods. Mindful eating does not demonize any food types. It is not concerned with food being good or bad. It is a way to simply become more attuned to our eating patterns and experiences.
To practice mindful eating, first define the portion of what you plan to eat by putting the food on a plate or bowl instead of eating from a container. This allows us to work on gratitude and acceptance of what amount is enough.
Next, as you prepare to begin eating, spend a moment to reflect on having gratitude for this meal. Reflect on your intention to slow down and really appreciate and savor the qualities of the food. Take some slow deep breaths as you do this.
Before you pick up your fork, use your senses to notice as much as you can about the food on your plate. Notice the colors, textures, and shapes. Next, take a few moments to notice the aromas of the food. Find some words to describe what you see and smell without labeling anything as good or bad. By using our senses of sight and smell, we are much more in touch with the qualities of the food we are preparing to eat. Often, we are only focused on our sense of taste.
Now, as you begin to put a bit of food on your utensil, be conscious of making your first bite a small one. As you bring the food into your mouth for that first bite, notice the flavors and textures of the food. As you begin to chew, notice and describe as much as you can about it. Continue eating in this manner. Remember to put your utensil down from time to time to, once again, notice appearances and aromas. If you truly embrace these techniques over time, you will notice a change in your relationship with food. Research demonstrates that mindful eating can help us to change how we view food and what we expect from food. People often notice that they feel full or satisfied more quickly when they are eating mindfully
Remember these quick pointers to boost your chances of success.
o Define portions before you start eating
o Take moderately sized bites
o Chew each bite slowly and thoroughly
o Notice texture, flavor, and aroma – use your senses
o Put the utensil down between bites or if taking a drink
o Refrain from reading or watching television during meals
o Eat at the kitchen or dining room table
This takes persistence and training, but it is well worth the effort. Planning meals and snacks can assist you in changing your relationship with food as well. You can enjoy and savor the many blessings of food during this holiday season!
The Center for Mindful Eating offers a wealth of information on this topic. https://thecenterformindfuleating.org/