Mindful Eating
This week, we’ve got something big to chew on! We’re talking about mindful eating!
Mindful eating is something you may have heard of, but may not have clarity on what exactly it is. For those of you that have read my blogs on nutrition you know that it is not Intuitive Eating, which is a 10 step guide to helping you break free from diet culture. So, with that in mind, what is the practice of mindful eating?
Mindful eating is a branch of the broader philosophy of mindfulness, something we talk about a lot in the wellness space these days. Mindfulness originated centuries ago and is a practice used in many religions. Mindfulness is the practice of being present, intentional, and non-judgemental of one’s thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in the present moment. As this pertains to food, mindful eating draws on the principles of mindfulness during the choosing, preparation, and consumption stages of eating.
Eating is an enrapturing experience, and it is one that demands the attention of all of our senses, both physically and emotionally. In mindful eating, we do away with value judgements and food policing and instead focus on making food choices that will nourish and satisfy our body and mind. Ultimately, this stems from the implementation of Intuitive Eating, which is why the two are often confused. However, what makes mindful eating different is it is focused on the entire experience of eating, which includes much more than the foods we choose to consume.
Mindful eating encourages us to focus on our eating experience, including the sensations in your body, the thoughts and feelings about the food, using the power of presence, awareness, and non-judgement. The idea is to be completely present with whatever it is you are eating without placing value judgements on yourself or the food you are consuming. Something to note here is there is no standard that determines what classifies as mindful eating, so it is up to you to determine exactly what defines your experience and practice of mindfulness around food. With that in mind, here’s my example version of a mindful meal to show you what a mindful meal can look like from start to finish:
Consider the entire meal: what each ingredient is, where the ingredients were sourced from, how it was prepared and who prepared it, and notice what senses it engages as it is being cooked and when it is on the table in front of you
Prior to the meal, think about the internal and external experiences you had during the cooking process (or the waiting process!), and think about how the food changes your physiological and emotional state
Also prior to the meal, potentially engage in some form of down-regulating breathing (Box breathing, 4-7-8, 7-11), tapping into a state of gratitude for the food and the living beings that the ingredients were prior to ending up in front of you. Give them all gratitude for giving you their life force and energy, be they plants or animals.
During the meal, notice how the food looks, smells, tastes, and feels once it is inside our body. Eating is an energetic exchange with whomever we are consuming, so try to be present and aware of this process, removing any distractions from your environment such as a phone, book, TV, computer, etc. so you can fully appreciate the meal you are consuming
Also during the meal, my recommendation is to “drink” your solids: chew them to a state where they are as easy to swallow as something you would drink. Many people come to me with “digestive distress” that is resolved simply by slowing down the eating process. This also aids as a tool in avoiding overeating, as we are able to listen to our bodies cues of satiety when we slow down.
When the meal is over, simply notice how you feel as a whole: physically, emotionally, and maybe even spiritually. Oftentimes we may feel deep gratitude for those we shared the meal with, the Earth for providing its beautiful bounty that nourishes us, and the food itself!
Mindful eating is a beautiful and powerful practice that we can use for a variety of reasons, be they health, wellness, spiritual, or any other reason. It is ultimately a foundational practice that we can use in conjunction with other mindfulness practices (more to come on these soon!), and is something that takes much practice and attention to cultivate, but is profoundly rewarding and fulfilling. My main message with mindful eating is to be present and enjoy the journey of eating!
With all my heart and my precious time,
Noah
