by Justin Osbourne: Eating is a typical routine for every human. It is a pleasurable event to many, to the extent of taking more than what’s needed by the body…
The goal is not only to satisfy hunger but also to stay healthy. However, this is often a considerable challenge to many, thanks to the abundance of food and a diet-oriented culture. Most people practice mindless eating, rather than being mindful of how they consume food. You might think that mindful eating is recent. In essence, it is an ancient practice used since long ago. In brief, it refers to eating with intention and attention. The intention is to treat yourself as the emphasis is noticing how the food affects your body.
Writing essays requires dedication and time for students, which sometimes lacks in many. That is why it may be best if you sought help from professionals, especially when you feel stuck. Often, getting the right professionals with immersive experience is a challenge. Here are a few ways you can employ in practicing mindful eating:
Avoid skipping meals
As simple as it may sound, this is imperative. When you skip any meal, it becomes quite challenging to make the right choices. For instance, whenever you will feel hungry, you are more likely to grab anything present for a bite. This can be anything, including junk. You might stop at a vending machine and pick something unhealthy or visit the nearest fast food restaurant for a bite of some junk foods.
To give your body some discipline that will help in creating the right rhythm in eating, it would be best to plan all of your meals. Never eat anything out of your plan, as this will cause interference. Besides, to allow the body to process food getting in, it is best to eat slowly instead of rushing. Once you create a plan, try hard to follow it through with dedication and discipline.
Pay close attention to your plate when eating
As much as many believe that they are gurus at multitasking, this should not be the case when eating. Multitasking while eating is a terrible way to maintain sync with your body. When your mind is distracted, for instance, you cannot listen deeply to what your body needs. Whether it is satiety or hunger, you may not be able to tell as you multitask.
Take the example of going to the movies and grabbing some popcorn for the show. Before the movie ends, you might start wondering where all the popcorn went. Of course, it is all in your stomach, but you probably wouldn’t notice due to multitasking. When you multitask, you become distracted and cannot know when the body signals about food or is having other needs.
Next time you have a meal, try switching off the screen and putting your phone away as you focus on the meal alone. Instead, if you have someone by your side, you can try conversing with him or her. You will notice how alert your brain is to the quantity of food you eat.
Quantify your hunger
Learn to account for the food you eat based on how hungry you are at any given point. Yes, you can easily know your rate of hunger. Sometimes, you are more in need of food than at some other times. Eat little when you feel you are not too hungry, as you save the rest for later. After all, the food you eat will be present even at a later time. Again, this will be useful in calorie and weight control.
Drink water before eating
Many use this typical trick when they do not want to eat a lot. Drink some water before your meal so that you can eat less. Water tends to act as a filler, which in turn helps to reduce your intake of food.
Drinking water beforehand also helps in the regulation of calories inside the body. Besides, other benefits of taking in plenty of water are that you will always stay hydrated. This keeps you awake and gives you a massive boost of energy to take you through the day.
Ultimately, aside from helping you achieve your mindful eating traits, drinking water helps you to stay healthy always.
Incorporate fibre in your diet
It would be best if you had fibre-rich foods in your diet, as they are natural fillers. They get you satiated faster than any other food does. In addition, they help with digestion and prevent constipation.
Do not rush when eating
There is no need to hurry when you are eating. This process needs your time. When you rush the process, you fail to know if you have had too much or too little. At that time you are hurrying, the aim is to finish the food on the plate, regardless of whether you are full or not.
Eating slowly is an ideal practice for mindful eating. When you eat your food slowly, you can easily tell when to stop and when you have had enough or too much. According to Chinese medicine, a person is only supposed to eat until he or she is 80% full. This is to ensure that his or her digestive system is operating in the right way.
Avoid overeating
There is a thin line between eating enough food and overeating. It takes mindful eating to know the difference. Often, many people think that they can eat whatever amount of food they want, which is not right.
It would be best to practice contentment. No matter the level of hunger you have, you cannot finish all the food that is in the house or restaurant. Therefore, learn to set a limit of food and observe it when eating. A good practice is to limit the serving at the table as you eat. It does not make sense at all, overtaxing your body.
Chew food completely
Another good mindful eating practice is to chew food thoroughly. It would be best to chew each bite until you liquefy the food. It may take you between twenty to thirty times to achieve this, but ultimately, it is worth it.
Aside from helping you reduce the chances of choking, chewing equally helps your tongue to taste food better, thus, reducing your chances of overeating. Remember, as stated earlier, eating slowly should be on your daily routine, as it helps in regulating intake. Chewing food ultimately ensures that you eat slowly.
Consider plant-based diets
Dietary fibre is present in plant-based diets. Most scientists and doctors would advise you to increase your intake of veggies. Not only is it healthier, but it also increases your mindfulness when eating. Most greens are fillers and give out a feeling of satiety when eating. With them, therefore, you may not overeat.
Incorporate protein into your diet
Protein helps to increase levels of satiety when added to a meal. That is why you should learn to incorporate one source of protein in all of your meals. For instance, white meat would be excellent per serving.
Connect more in-depth with the food you eat
Do not just get to the table and start pouncing on the food. What sets you apart from an animal when you do that? We all have some sort of disconnection from the foods we eat daily. This may be because of our routine, which entails eating quickly and getting back to your schedule. Nonetheless, this should not be the case, especially when targeting mindful eating.
We have gotten to a point where we do not even care where a meal comes from beyond the mall or store we bought it. There is a chain of supply for every product, which many cannot trace. Eating should give you an opportunity to connect with food deeply, and this is what mindfulness eating is all about.
When you pause and take time to reflect on the entire process, you can learn to regulate how much you eat. The fact that the food we eat is exhaustible should be a wake-up call to everyone on the levels we eat.
As you eat, it would be best to be mindful about the next day. Do not eat as if it is the last time you are having a meal on the planet. After all, you still have another day coming.
Know what motivates you
Is it junk food or healthy food? Which one gives you the impetus to eat? Can you strike a balance between what you love and what is healthy? Answering these questions takes you closer to mindful eating. You can still find healthy foods that taste amazing. You do not have to rely on junk just for the satisfaction.
Conclusion
Wrapping up, mindful eating is all about yourself. It is how you consider the food you eat. How you discipline yourself to do the right thing even when nobody is watching. Mindful eating is right for your health, and you should try it today.
About the Author:
Justin is a blogger from Leicester, UK. When not working and rooting for Leicester FC, he likes to discuss education and share his own ideas with readers on different blogs and forums. Currently, he is working as a business content writer at uk essays and bestessays.com.
