What Mindful Eating Can do for Your Active Body

Mindfulness can be applied to most areas of our lives. This powerful practice can help you fall asleep faster, increase your focus and concentration, and fend off anxiety.

While the Internet provides tons of articles concerning the benefits of this life-changing tool, there’s one area most people aren’t that familiar with - mindful eating.

What is mindful eating? How to practice it? What are the advantages it brings? If you’re an active person, keep reading - you’ll be surprised how making mindful eating a part of your daily diet can benefit your body.

So, What Exactly is Mindful Eating?

Through practicing mindful eating, one can become a lot more aware of their eating habits, whether they’re good or bad. This allows that same person to make the necessary changes. To put it simply, it’s one of those simple routines that can put you on the right path to better health.

Some general aspects of this practice include:

●            Increasing the awareness of signals that inform you when you should or shouldn’t eat

●            Paying more attention to how your organism responds to different types of food

●            Finding more time to select, prepare, and cook healthy meals

●            Employing all of your senses when eating - focusing on each bite, chewing slowly, as well as sipping instead of gulping

In addition, someone who practices mindful eating will:

●            Understand the connections between everything that lives and how these connections are impacted by food choices

●            Develop an awareness of how their wellbeing can be improved by healthy eating habits

●            Accepts that there’s no such thing as eating right or wrong while knowing that the act of eating food can be experienced on a few different levels of awareness

●            Acknowledges the uniqueness of everyone’s eating experiences

In short, mindful eating can transform one’s relationship with the food by encouraging them to appreciate every meal while also helping them stay healthy.

How to Practice Mindful Eating?

To eat more mindfully, try incorporating these simple techniques:

Discover New Foods

While giving you a chance to develop a deeper appreciation for your favorite snacks, mindful eating provides a great way to try new meals, too. By discovering and adding organic foods and healthy drinks to your everyday diet, you’ll be gradually improving your overall wellbeing.

Eat Only When You’re Hungry

Are you thirsty? Does your stomach feel empty? Is it growling? Listen to your body. Sometimes, people think that they’re hungry when they’re actually stressed or bored. Don’t eat just because you have food around - you’ll never enjoy your meals as much.

Focus on Your Meal

Avoid using your smartphone or watching TV when you’re eating. Set everything aside and focus only on your meal. With nothing to distract you, you’ll be able to pay more attention to your meal and how you consume it.

Take it Slowly

Pausing in between each bite is incredibly important. So, set your fork down between every bite and take a short break. Don’t go for the next bite until you finish what’s in your mouth. Your goal shouldn’t be to get full but to enjoy your meal as much as possible.

Embrace Your Senses

Mindful eating can be a truly stimulating, magical experience. Observe your meals - notice their aromas, textures, and colors. Chew your food thoroughly, and, if you usually drink with your meals, try taking small sips. Use all of your senses when you’re eating.

Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude

Take a moment to consider the time and effort you’re putting into creating your meals. Adopt an attitude of gratitude - simply take a moment to acknowledge your good fortune or say a blessing before the meal. Or, if somebody else has prepared the food for you, make sure to express your gratitude to that person.

Mental and Physical Benefits of Mindful Eating

Eating mindfully supports one’s psychological wellbeing. As you already know, different foods can affect our emotional state in different ways. So, when a person approaches eating with mindfulness, they can identify eating patterns that cause poor emotional health and are then able to make more conscious, positive choices.

In addition, mindful eating encourages a person to take a true break to sit down and eat. As such, it can be of great help with stress and anxiety. 

The physical benefits of mindful eating, on the other hand, are numerous. As it encourages a “quality over quantity” approach, this method can help you lose weight. Furthermore, it allows for better absorption of nutrients and vitamins, reduces gas and bloating, and promotes better digestion.

Mindful eating is a completely natural and very pleasurable experience. What’s more, it supports good health!

By incorporating this simple yet effective self-care routine into your everyday life, you’re guaranteed to reap a number of mental and physical benefits. Remember - what you’re eating isn’t the only important thing - how you’re eating is just as essential.

*** Written for Meridian Counseling by Jennifer Wilson  a writer at Qeedle.com. As she understands all the challenges of running a small business firsthand, it’s her mission to tackle the topics that are most relevant to entrepreneurs - from finances to health - and offer advice and viable solutions.