When you drive down the street, do you wait for the red light before you slam on the brakes screeching to a stop at the line (or sometimes over)?  Most of us use that yellow light to pull our foot off the gas and coast for a second and then ease the brake to comfortably slow down ahead of a full stop.  In some ways when we eat, the visual cues from our plate have replaced the body cues that are flashing yellow or even the line we were supposed to have stopped at.  Mindful eating helps you slow down to find an appreciation for eating as a part of our lives which is so central to our ability to live but an activity which we so often run absentmindedly on auto-pilot.  

Relearning the Art of Satiety

While we slow down enough to notice the flavor of the rice and the crispness of the broccoli, we have a chance to relearn what it feels like to slowly get full.  Satiation isn’t that bloated feeling that happens after your meal.  It isn’t that sluggishness that happens after a sugar crash.  It happens way before and importantly it’s also not just a line we cross going from white to black.  There is a gradual build up as we make our way through our meal.  We might even discover that we actually feel satiated before our plate finishes.  Take a note here as to how much food your body actually wanted because that is how much should be on your plate next time.  Consider switching to a smaller plate to help manage the illusion of a full plate equaling a full tummy.

What does Mindful Eating look like

At first there is nothing natural about breaking your eating habits.  Of your thought-requiring activities, eating takes some of the least effort as everyone one of us has been doing this multiple times a day for the course of our lives.  It’s muscle memory at its finest and this is exactly what you would be looking to break.  Bringing all your senses to bear witness to the meal in front of you and allowing it to be your focus for more than that first bite.  Every bite, every flavor and texture can be an adventure waiting to be enjoyed.  The same way you might take the time to enjoy a Michelin star dish, you could use the same techniques to be aware of every meal you eat.  Beyond what’s going on in your mouth (and nose), mindful eating stretches its awareness to the rest of your body and allows those physical cues to be noticed and interpreted.  The feeling of your stomach getting fuller or the way your thirst level changes as you eat or perhaps you notice how your desire for the food seems to outpace your feelings in your stomach.  All of this is mindful eating!

Finish your food

Food respect and food scarcity have embedded these social norms which are about finishing completely and appreciating what you have.  These are hallmarks of efficiency and great habits to cultivate!  The tough part is that we have carried these habits into environments where there is an abundance of food but we still act like each meal is our last. This leads to accepting this volume of input and in many cases well beyond where the body would have said no.  Ironically finishing the meal often encourages the next meal to be larger and the cycle repeats.  Mindful eating again can help break this unintended cycle by letting your body’s signals show up as you slowly take in the meal.

Conclusion

Mastering mindful eating is not just a shift in behavior; it’s a holistic approach to cultivating a healthier relationship with food. By breaking away from autopilot dining and embracing a mindful, intentional approach, you can unlock the doors to effective weight management and a more conscious connection with their bodies. It’s time to savor each bite, appreciate the journey to satisfaction, and reshape the way we nourish ourselves.