Mindful Eating: The Power of Pausing

There’s nothing quite like enjoying a good meal. Whether we’re gathering for the holidays, enjoying a movie night with friends or seeking comfort after a long day, food seems to be involved, if not the main focal point. But unfortunately, overeating is very common, which has resulted in 1 in 3 U.S. adults being obese. The good news is there’s a way to enjoy your favorite foods more healthily with mindful eating.

We’ve put together a mindful eating guide to help you learn more about it, how to implement it, its health benefits and the different types of hunger we all experience.

What Is Mindful Eating?

Mindful eating emphasizes the power of pausing. This process involves becoming more aware of your senses with every bite. For many, it’s typical to eat while scrolling through social media or watching TV, which can lead to overeating. However, mindful eating keeps you in the moment, focused on the tastes, sights, smells and texture of your food, as well as how you feel after eating.

Another aspect of mindful eating is awareness of the nutritional value of the food you consume. Taking a moment to understand the impact certain foods have on your body allows you to make healthier choices. Over time, you’ll find that you gravitate toward eating more nutritious foods.

How to Put Mindful Eating Into Practice

Mindful eating can take different forms for each person, but the underlying structure remains the same. To practice mindful eating:

• Consider the food: Acknowledge where the food came from and how it was prepared.
• Focus on your senses: Think about the smell, taste, texture and color of the food.
• Portion the food: Start with a smaller portion to avoid overeating.
• Chew slowly: Consider how the food tastes, how your body reacts to it and enjoy the process of eating.
• Get rid of distractions: Eliminating distractions like social media or TV allows you to stay in the present moment.

Once you’re done eating, reflect on how you feel and pay attention to your hunger cues. Are you satisfied, or are you still hungry? Do you feel tired or energized? Mindful eating may feel difficult at first, but that’s OK. Over time, you’ll learn and enjoy the process of eating more.

Benefits of Mindful Eating

Research shows that mindful eating has numerous benefits. Not only will you enjoy the process of eating more, but you’ll also:

• Avoid stress while eating
• Create a better relationship with food
• Cut down on portion sizes, which promotes weight management
• Enjoy improved digestion
• Make healthier food choices
• Prevent overeating
• Realize when you feel full faster than before
• Reduce binge eating

Practicing mindful eating offers both mental and physical benefits. However, mindful eating shouldn’t be used as a treatment method for various eating disorders. Talk with your primary care provider before trying this practice to ensure it’s right for you.

Understanding Different Types of Hunger

Food is what fuels our bodies, but sometimes, we eat for other reasons. There are several driving factors that contribute to us feeling hungry, including eye, nose, mouth and stomach hunger.

Eye Hunger

Our eyes are the filter through which we see the world. What we see dictates our responses, and it’s no different when it comes to eating. If you see a commercial featuring a new hamburger or flavor of ice cream, your mind will become captivated with the vibrant colors and send cues to your stomach that imitate hunger. Our eyes are so powerful that if we see something appetizing, it can override our feeling of fullness.

Nose Hunger

Our nose seems to have a direct line to our stomach. If we smell something unappetizing, our feeling of hunger will be suppressed. But if you walk past a bakery and smell pastries that have just come out of the oven, you’ll feel enticed to eat.

Mouth Hunger

Have you ever eaten the same meal for lunch or dinner multiple days in a row and found that you slowly eat less of it every day? That’s because our mouths are constantly looking for stimulation and different textures of food. For example, if you sit down with a bag of chips, you may find that your hunger isn’t satisfied, and that may be because your mouth is looking for other sensations.

Stomach Hunger

You may feel stomach hunger in different ways. If you haven’t eaten all day, you’ll feel the familiar hunger pangs rattling in your belly. But sometimes, our stomachs may be asking for food simply because it’s lunchtime. The truth is, your body doesn’t need fuel every time you feel hungry. Consider waiting before eating if you feel hungry, and notice if the hunger passes or lingers.

Eating Your Way to Better Health

Healthy eating habits form a foundation for your whole health. If you’re looking for nutrition counseling, our expert providers are here to help. Visit us here to learn more about our wellness care services and how you can implement healthy habits for a life of wellness.