Mindful Eating
Have you ever started snacking while watching TV and, before long, the box, bag or plate you were eating from is empty? Do you ever get uncomfortably full because you ate too fast, or because you were distracted while you were eating? In both of these cases, you may have barely tasted the foods you ate and felt unsatisfied afterwards.
This guide can help you improve your eating habits through “mindful eating".
What is “mindful eating”?
Mindful eating is eating with awareness. It involves paying attention to your body’s signals so you eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. Mindful eating can improve how you feel about food and eating, your body image, self-esteem and overall health.
Mindful eating means recognizing these things:
- Hunger and fullness
- Situations or feelings other than hunger that lead to eating
- The way your food looks, smells, and tastes
- Food as energy and nutrition for your body
What is “mindless eating"?
Mindless eating is the opposite of mindful eating. It means eating for reasons other than hunger. It also means not paying attention to your body’s hunger and fullness signals.
You might eat mindlessly because:
- You see or smell a food that looks tempting. For example, movie theater popcorn smells so good that you buy a large tub, even though you just ate dinner.
- You are doing something else while eating. For example, you are snacking while watching tv and you lose track of how much you are eating.
- You're used to eating at certain times, even though you're not necessarily hungry at those times. For example, you had a late breakfast but you eat lunch at 12pm anyway because it's “lunch time”.
- You feel sad, mad, tired, bored, and/or lonely. For example, you treat yourself to a large dessert to make yourself feel better.
How am I supposed to know exactly how hungry I am?
Use the hunger and fullness scale below to stay in touch with your body’s signals. Try to stay between 4 and 7. This will help guide your food and portion choices and keep you from feeling too hungry or too full.
How can I learn how to eat mindfully?
Before you eat:
1. Figure out if you’re really hungry.
- Physical signs of hunger include “growling” and/or hunger pangs in your stomach, lightheadedness, a hard time staying focused and/or feeling cranky.
- If you're craving food because you're feeling stressed or bored, do something you enjoy such as playing sports or listening to music.
2. Choose foods that will satisfy your hunger.
- If you're very hungry, eat a filling meal made up of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, tofu, beans) and/or heart healthy fats (olive oil, almond butter). These foods can be very satisfying when eaten together.
- If you're a little hungry, a snack of lean protein (low-fat cheese, low-fat yogurt, and hummus) paired with fruit, vegetables and/or whole grains (whole wheat English muffin, whole grain cereal) can help to fill you up long enough to make it to your next meal.
While You Eat:
1. Get rid of distractions.
- Turn off the TV and computer so you can focus on your meal.
- Pay attention to your senses. Notice how the food looks, tastes, feels and smells.
- Check in with your body while you eat. Forget the idea that you have to finish everything on your plate. Pay attention to when you feel satisfied or full. Eat slowly to help you stay in tune with your hunger and fullness.
After you eat:
1. Feel the effect that eating had on your mind and body.
- Ask yourself if the food left you feeling energized or sluggish.
2. Ask yourself if you feel satisfied with what you just ate.
- If yes, what parts of the meal helped you to feel that way? If no, what should you do differently next time? Was there something about the foods you ate, the place you were eating, or the people you were eating with that made you feel that way?
More mindful eating tips:
- Don’t let yourself get to the point when you are starving. This could trigger you to overeat.
- Avoid eating from bags, cartons or containers. Portioning out food before you eat it can help you eat more mindfully.
- Sit down while you eat.
- Eat slowly. Try to make the meal last for at least 20 minutes. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to realize that it is full.
- Pause in the middle of eating to assess how hungry/full you are.
Eating mindfully is a way to improve your eating habits and overall well-being by eating with awareness. Practice mindful eating by paying attention to your hunger and fullness before, during, and after you eat.
Written by the CYWH and YMH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston
Updated: 5/3/2010
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