Mindful eating is a practice that’s quite rare in our typically rushed and distracted society. But its benefits are innumerable. When you eat slowly and mindfully:
- you feel more satisfied with each meal, actually noticing the tastes and textures
- your body has time to recognise when it’s full (this can take up to 20 minutes!) and so you’re much less likely to overeat. This makes losing or maintaining weight much easier and avoids that uncomfortable stuffed feeling
- your body is better able to digest your food because your gastrointestinal tract has time to do its thing properly
- and there’s an extra side benefit of being better hydrated because eating slowly appears to increase water consumption during meals
- plus you’re likely to feel more satisfied between meals and less hungry
So think about employing some of these tips in your meals this weekend…
- Sit at a table with minimal distractions (so without the TV or your mobile phone) and try and see eating as a positive way of refuelling your body rather than an inconvenience to get through as soon as possible.
- Make an effort to eat more slowly. Some people find it helps to put their utensils down between bites, others focus on chewing more and some use the tiny people in their house as pace-setters because kids really can be the slowest eaters ever!
- Pile more veggies on your plate as high fibre foods take more time and effort to chew.
- Focus on what you’re eating…how does it taste? How does it smell? What kind of texture does it have? How does the food make you feel?
- Consider using smaller plates, only getting more food if you still feel hungry afterwards (as opposed to finishing whatever’s on your plate).
- Stopping when you’re full.
Play around with it and let me know how you get on. And if you’d like ongoing nutrition support & coaching that’s tailored to your circumstances, please get in touch or book yourself an appointment.