According to a 2011 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American spends around two and a half hours a day eating, but more than half of that time, we're doing something else, too, usually working, driving, reading, watching television, or playing on an electronic device, so we're not fully aware of what we're eating.
Mindless Eating
And this mindless eating, a lack of awareness of the food we're consuming may be contributing to the national obesity epidemic and other health issues. Research shows that mindful eating can lead to greater awareness of how to eat. This enhanced awareness may reduce 'mindless eating' and subsequently help with weight management.
Mindful eating is learning to pay attention, so instead of eating mindlessly, putting food into your mouth almost unconsciously, not really tasting the food you're eating, you notice your thoughts, feelings, and the look, smell, taste, feel of the food you're eating.
Here are some tips that you can use to start eating more mindfully:
Begins with Your Shopping List
Consider the ingredients and health value of items you add to your shopping list and stick to it to avoid impulse buying when you're shopping.
Eat when Hungry but not when Ravenously Hungry
If you skip meals, you may be so eager to eat that your first priority is filling the void instead of enjoying your food and eating healthily.
Start with a Small Portion
It may be helpful to eat off a smaller plate, so your portions look bigger or just reduce portion sizes.
Appreciate your Food
Pause for a minute or two before you begin eating to contemplate everything on your plate and what it took to make. Silently express your gratitude for the opportunity to enjoy delicious food and those who aren't so fortunate. Take small bites and eat slowly It's easier to taste food when your mouth isn't full, and you take your time eating.
Chew Thoroughly
Chew well until you can taste the essence of the food. You may be surprised at all the flavours that are released.
Conclusion
It's not enough for us just to eat and not think about what we eat. The most important part of eating is taking time to think about what we put in our mouths, to eat our food slowly and to savour what we eat. It's important to think about and chew your food properly so that you're not gulping down your food. Eating slowly also helps with digestion and promotes better health. It's also what mindful eating is about. (Sources: health.harvard.edu huffpost.com)
From my own experience eating can become compulsive, which makes me my own worst enemy at the table.
The problem is that my mouth loves to sink my teeth into anything on a plate; that's not mindful eating at all, but I'm working on it.
Thanks Tim. Yes, you're not on your own. I think more of us will be guilty of compulsive eating.
We tend to use food as a tool to make us feel better and that's when we become compulsive eaters. When we're bored, struggling with depression or we're trying to get over a relationship, we may turn to food to make us feel better.
Now I not only have to think about what I eat because I struggle with food, but I also have to think about how I eat because I struggle with digestion problems too. Mindful eating helps with both of those issues.
When we're not thinking about how we eat we forget to chew our food properly and then gulp our food down and that makes us put on weight.
I like my food but can't eat all the delicious foods I could when I was younger, but mindful eating might help.
Smaller portion sizes, chewing, chewing and more chewing might be a good start.
Thanks. Yes, mindful eating will help. I think we're all guilty of eating too quickly and not thinking about the food we eat.
Smaller portion sizes and remembering to chew slowly will help with any digestion problems. It's worth a try.
If you've never struggled with food it could be just the way you're eating your food. From what you say, my problem is slightly different to yours.
It's always worth a try. If you don't try you don't know and if you try it may just work.