Mindful eating: how paying attention to meal you’re having can help weight loss and stop bad food habits
Research suggests that staying focused on food choices and minimising distractions while we eat can pay health dividends for mind and body
There’s a Zen proverb: “When walking, walk. When eating, eat.” Unfortunately, modern society seems to follow this adage: “When walking, check your cellphone. When eating, check your cellphone.”
Because our food intake seems to rise as our ability to focus falls, the diet and wellness industries have issued edicts to eat mindfully and eliminate mealtime distractions. Though well-meaning, this advice only adds to the pressure of a fast-paced world in which multitasking (within reason) can help us keep up.
Yes, mindful eating, and mindfulness itself, have value. But do we really need to shut off everyone and everything around us to enjoy their benefits? To answer this question, we need to understand the concepts of mindful eating and distracted eating, how these practices might or might not affect weight, and the role each can play in your daily life.
What is mindful eating, and why do it?
Mindful eating means increasing interoceptive awareness – the awareness of bodily sensations – as you eat. That means paying attention to sensations of hunger and satiety – the reduction of appetite and/or hunger after eating. It also means being aware of other physical sensations such as tension, fatigue and thirst, and emotional states such as anxiety or boredom.