Nutrition

Review of the book: Mindful Eating: A Simple Guide to Transforming Your Relationship with Food

A.K.M.Monjurul Hoque

Meta Description: Learn how to eat mindfully to aid digestion, weight control and develop a better relationship with food. A quick tutorial to improve wellness.

Mindful eating is about savoring every bite and listening to your body.

With the hustle and bustle of the modern world, often people eat in a mindless way. We snack as we browse through social media, work on our desks, or binge-watch our favorite shows. That’s where mindful eating can help—a practice that takes the focus from the food to the practice of eating.

What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating is a psychological technique that is used to help you focus during your meals. It means noticing the taste, the smell, the texture and the colour of your food, and the sensation of your body when it tells you you’re hungry and when it tells you you’re full.

It is not a diet intended to be limiting. Instead, it’s a way to develop a more natural and healthy approach to nutrition.

Eating mindfully is beneficial for many reasons

This habit can help to provide a number of health benefits:

  • Better Digestion: Slow eating and chewing help the body to digest food properly.
  • Weight Management: Noticing their feeling of fullness will help to prevent overeating.
  • Better Food Choices: Mindful eating, understanding the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger.
  • Taking a timeout to pay attention to your food is a moment of mindfulness; this can help to reduce stress.

This is how to practice mindful eating in 5 easy steps

  • Eliminate Distractions: Turn off the TV and put away your phone.
  • Use Your Senses: Smell, see and feel the food before taking the first bite.
  • Take time to chew: Take your time chewing every bite. Your brain takes 20 minutes or so to send the “full” signal.
  • Tune in to Your Body: Eat until you are feeling full, not stuffed.
  • Use Gratitude: Recognize and value the work that went into preparing your food.

Further Reading—external resources

Here are some common questions and answers

Conclusion

Eating with awareness is a powerful practice to take control of your health. Slowing down and paying attention to your body’s needs, will make mealtimes a nourishing, pleasurable experience rather than a routine task. Try one meal at a time and see what happens to your body and mind!