How often do you watch television while having a meal? Every night, a couple of times a week? It turns out that almost fifty percent of Australians have most meals in front of the tv. You're probably thinking, yea, so what?! But it could be mindless eating that is holding you back from reaching your goals.
What do I mean when I say 'mindless eating'? Quite literally, you are simply not paying attention to what you are eating, how much you are eating or your sensations of taste and hunger. Therein lies some obvious problems. If you are not focused on what you are eating you could literally be putting anything down your throat, that's not good. It is also easy to over eat as your brain struggles to focus on both your feelings of hunger and being full and Bondi Vet. Similarly, you will not be able to focus on the flavours or textures and other characters that can make having food an awesome experience in itself!
Mindless eating is not confined to the tv or other distractions such as reading. It also encompasses emotional eating for example. In either case, you are not focused on what you are eating.
"..it could be mindless eating that is holding you back from reaching your goals."
I want you to give something a try, mindful eating. First, remove yourself from the tv, close your laptop and put your smart phone out of reach. Now try to observe without judging, every moment by moment experience of the next meal you have. Be aware of the internal environment; your body, thoughts and emotions. And be aware of the external environment; your surroundings, lighting, seat, utensils.
Here are some simple examples of how to be mindful while eating:
- Find a quiet and relaxing place to have your meal
- Really look at your food, check it out
- Eat slowly and notice the smell, taste and texture of what you are eating
- Put utensils down in between mouthfuls whilst chewing
- Wait ten to twenty minutes before going for seconds