Have you ever sat watching a movie with a bag of chips or box of popcorn and mindlessly kept eating until you reached into the packet to find to your surprise that it was empty? While your attention was on the movie you had been eating on automatic pilot. You were not aware of the amount you were eating and your brain was missing out on the pleasure of eating.
There a lots of other situations that we might eat mindlessly...
while surfing the net or working on the computer,
driving the car with a packet of sweets next to you on the passenger seat,
working at your desk,
watching Netflix,
or sitting on the sofa in front of the TV eating your dinner.
Take a moment to think about the situations in which you eating mindlessly.
Enjoyment in food is an important part of quality of life for many people. People who have weight loss surgery often describe themselves as “foodies”, or someone who enjoys trying out new recipes or baking for friends and family. People often worry about what life might be like if they can no longer eat the way that they did before their surgery. Sometimes people worry they may not feel satisfied after eating such small amounts. Mindful eating can help your brain adjust to the smaller portions and continue to get enjoyment from food.
So what is mindful eating and how does it work from the psychological point of view?
Mindfulness is very trendy right now but it is more that just a fad. Many people understand that mindful eating can help to slow down their eating but is can be so much more than that. Mindful eating is about using all your senses when you eat so you get pleasure from eating and feel satisfied after even small amounts of food. By eating mindfully you can even develop a healthy relationship with treat foods.
The how to…
1. Reduce distractions – sit at the table, turn off the TV, move away from the computer
2. Eat with your eyes – what are the colours and shapes of the food.
3. Take notice of the smell of the food. A lot of our enjoyment of food is from the delicious aromas.
4. Place a small amount in your mouth and chew. Taste the flavours. The more you chew the more flavour will be released, providing more feedback for your brain.
5. Notice the sensation of having the food in your mouth – the “mouth feel”. Chefs know all about this when they are planning their meals. Does if feel smooth, creamy, rough, crispy, cool, warming?
6. Don’t be in a hurry to take your next bite. Move back to step 2 and repeat.
Enjoy.
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