Column: Amy Pleimling, Dietitian Speaks

Mindful eating is purposeful eating. It involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking, both inside and outside the body. Mindful eating is paying attention to the colors, smells, textures, flavors, temperatures and even the sounds (crunch!) of food.

Mindful eating focuses on the fact that food is nourishment and eating is an experience that should be enjoyed. Mindful eating teaches us that we shouldn’t use food to cope with life’s stressors. Being mindful of your eating is to ask yourself, “What am I putting in my mouth and why?” It is paying attention to your food and eating without distraction.

 

How do you start eating mindfully?

You can start by throwing out the black-and-white dieting and focusing on a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods and an occasional treat. If you tell yourself that a certain food is forbidden, you think about that certain food more and are more likely to binge on that food eventually without paying any attention to your body (except for the guilt you feel afterward).

When you eat, try to slow down. Pay attention to the food on your plate, eating one bite at a time and chewing your food well. Eat slowly, savoring the sight, smell, texture and taste of your food. Slowing down at meals can be hard.

I often have people in my classes purposely make a meal last 20 minutes. Those fast eaters always report back that this was hard to do. At first you do need to make a conscious effort at putting the fork down, drinking more water and having conversation.

When you consistently slow down and make meals last longer, I can guarantee you won’t eat as much.

Another part of mindful eating is paying attention to why you eat and recognizing or pin-pointing your mindless eating habits.

When do you tend to grab something when you are not hungry, and why? Is it the clear candy jar on the desk that you pass by many times a day that you are grabbing from? Is there a time at night when you tend to snack for no reason? Do you eat when you are bored or stressed? These are things to think about and recognize.

Once you recognize the emotions that trigger you to eat, then you can make a plan.

I know you have heard this before, but it helps to write things down. If you feel you eat for many other reasons other than hunger, spend some time journaling about your eating. Write down the times you are eating, why you are eating and how you feel before and after eating (on a fullness scale). Journaling will help you see trends in your habits. Then you can set up a plan of action.

 

Apples to apples

If you realize you eat when you experience certain feelings or emotions, you are not alone. But eating for boredom, for example, is not “apples to apples.”

If you are bored, do something that directly relates to relieving boredom — like taking a walk or cleaning.

If you find you eat when you are stressed, make a list of things you can do when you feel stress. Things that are stress-relievers, like a bubble bath or exercise, would be directly related that emotion. Eating may be stress relief for a moment but is obviously not a long-term fix. Food is not a medicine; it is meant to nourish.

We sleep when we are tired and eat because we are hungry — keep reminding yourself of that.

Mindful eating doesn’t happen overnight – it is a process and takes some practice. However, once you make the commitment to it, you will be a healthier you!

 

Amy Pleimling is the dietitian for the Hy-Vee grocery store in Albert Lea.