Mindful eating is about paying careful attention to our food and the sensory impressions and feelings that accompany it. This way, you can develop a conscious eating behavior that is good for your body and mind – and also helps you lose weight. Oviva accompanies you on this path!
What is mindful eating?
Eating mindfully means paying full attention to your food and the feelings and physical sensations associated with it. The Buddhist concept of mindfulness is not only applicable to food. It generally means experiencing the present moment attentively and without judgment.
When eating, mindfulness means:
- Show appreciation for food and your own body
- Feel and respect hunger and satiety
- Consciously recognize which external circumstances and internal conditions influence our eating behavior.
- Let go of shame and guilt, develop empathy for yourself
Mindful eating helps you differentiate between physical and emotional hunger. It allows you to listen to your body and your psyche and to leave behind unconscious automatisms in eating behavior as well as rigid rules and harsh judgments.
What are the benefits of mindful eating?
First of all, mindful eating is not focused on weight loss (although it is likely that you will lose weight with the practice). When you practice mindfulness, you are not focused on achieving anything. You are focused on the moment. Mindful eating allows you to be completely present when you eat. Nothing more, nothing less.
Nevertheless, you can achieve exactly what has previously failed again and again: a real change in your eating habits – away from eating autopilot and towards conscious decisions that are good for you. Without any pressure or feelings of guilt.
How do you practice mindful eating?
- Take a raisin . Place it on the table in front of you. (Don’t like raisins? This exercise is also about approaching your food without preconceived judgments. Alternatively, just replace the raisin with a cranberry.)
- Breathe deeply and consciously a few times. Relax . Imagine that you have never seen or tasted a raisin before.
- Take the raisin in your hand . Look at it very carefully from all sides. Touch it. Smell it.
- Put the raisin between your lips and hold it there for a few moments. How does that feel?
- Move the raisin around in your mouth without chewing. Can you taste anything?
- Take a bite of the raisin. What happens?
- Start chewing slowly . Pay attention to how the raisin changes in your mouth, what you taste and feel.
- Do not swallow until the raisin has completely liquefied.
- Close your eyes for a few moments and reflect on what you have experienced. Did the taste of the raisin awaken any memories or feelings ? What would you like to do now?
By the way: The exercise can of course be done with any other food . Perhaps you would like to rediscover fresh berries, cheese, a piece of bread or chocolate in this way?