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Mindful Eating
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Day 9 - How To Eat Mindfully.
Day 9 - How to eat Mindfully.
1. Start with one
Choosing to eat more mindfully doesn't mean a complete life overhaul. Start by choosing to eat one meal per day more mindfully, eg, breakfast, lunch or dinner. If that's too much, start with just one meal per week eg, Sunday lunch or Saturday breakfast.
2. Check in with yourself
Before eating, stop for a moment and consider how you're feeling. Ask yourself: am I hungry? Am I thirsty? Am I stressed, bored, worried or rushed? Often we eat because our mind or emotions compel us to, you may reach for food for comfort or distraction. By tuning into your body more, and eating only when you're actually hungry or at set mealtimes, you'll become better at knowing your real hunger cues from emotional ones. Ask yourself, "How am I feeling?" Then follow up with, "If I am feeling this way and I eat this food, how will it help me feel better? How will I feel after it?"
3. Turn off, to turn up your senses
Avoid eating your meal close to screens and other distractions from the room or table. Turn off the TV and switch your phone off. Focus on enjoying your meal as well as your own company, or that of those around you.
4. Out of sight, out of mind
Keep serving bowls and leftovers off the table and out of sight while you're eating. This can reduce the chance of you going back for unnecessary seconds and keeps the focus on your plate in front of you. If you have trouble controlling portion sizes, eat off a smaller plate (see my first blog about plate size). This can help to reduce your portions, and stop you from feeling as if you're missing out or depriving yourself.
5. Slow Down
Meal times can be a chance to change the pace of your day and slow down. Eating mindfully means chewing slowly and savouring the moment. Notice the colours, flavours and textures of your meal. Pause between each mouthful and put your utensils down on the plate. You will experience a greater sense of taste and pleasure from your food by doing this! (for weight loss surgery patients remember the eating techniques! Aim to take about 20 minutes to eat a meal mindfully. Compare it to how long you would usually take to eat a meal.
6. Make it a healthy habit
We all need a reminder now and then to eat more mindfully. Try one mindful eating tip at a time so that you don't feel overwhelmed, it will soon become a NEW habit you enjoy.
Do you need support to get back on track, are those love handles getting you down, book in to have a chat with The Dietologist!
