3 Ways to Eat More Mindfully
Does this sound familiar to you? You get home from a busy day, make for the kitchen, grab a packet of biscuits from the cupboard without really noticing, start putting them into your mouth one after another whilst watching the TV and scanning the web.
If this kind of scenario resonates with you, then it sounds like you have fallen into the way of mindless eating. This is something we are pretty much conditioned to do in the modern world. We are encouraged to multi-task, rushing from one activity to the next and not really focusing on anything at all.
I feel exhausted just thinking about it!
When it comes to food, this kind of mindless eating can easily lead to weight gain. We don't pay attention to what we are putting into our mouths, we don't notice whether we're hungry and we don't get the signals that tell us when we're full. In fact, when we're eating mindlessly, we get very little real enjoyment and satisfaction from our food.
There is a different way though. Try all or one of these three tips and you can start to eat in a more mindful, satisfying way (and lose weight in the process!)
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When you are eating, focus on your meal and avoid distractions.
Many of us have fallen into the habit of doing other things whilst eating. In fact, many of my clients tell me they feel uncomfortable when they start eating their meals without doing anything else at the same time. It's worth moving past that discomfort though. When we choose to eat without distractions, we can truly appreciate our food, we will eat more slowly and we will notice when we start to feel full.
By following this tip, you will naturally start to eat less, as you enjoy every mouthful, getting the maximum benefit from your food AND knowing when you have had enough.
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Put everything you eat onto a plate.
This may sound like a no-brainer, as I'm sure most of you eat your meals from a plate. However, how many things do you eat during the day straight from the packet or fridge?
Often, when we just grab something and put it straight into our mouths, we don't really pay attention to what or how much we are eating. So, the next time you want a snack, take some time to put it onto a plate, even if it's some crisps or a biscuit. That simple step of putting your food onto a plate will make you more aware of what you're eating. It may even make you think twice about your choice. In either case, you will find that you naturally feel more in control and choose to eat less.
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Practice gratitude for your food.
What I mean by this is taking some time out before you eat to be grateful for the food on your plate. Just a few moments to think about where the food was grown or produced, how it has made it's way to you and all of the people involved in the process.
We can easily take food for granted in the supermarket society we live in today, but if you give it some thought, we are blessed to pretty much be able to eat whatever we like, whenever we like.
So, take some time to be grateful for the food you are eating. Again, this will help you to enjoy your meal more and appreciate everything that has gone into it.
Give these mindful eating tips a try and see what a difference they make. I'd love to hear how you get on!
About the author
Nicola is a hypnotherapist specialising in weight loss and well-being. She has worked with many women over the years to help them lose the weight they want to, feel wonderful AND maintain that weight loss. She calls this creating a 'Forever' Weight Loss mindset.
Nicola offers a range of both online programs and one-to-one hypnotherapy sessions. Take a look at what some of her clients have said about her hereand follow her on Facebook.
