Mindful Intuitive Eating 101

Mindful Eating 101 – A Beginner’s Guide

Intuitive eating for dummies! What to make yourself STOP AND THINK before consuming. That means food, timing of food, amount, chewing time, drinks, gum, etc etc.

There IS SO MUCH to know when it comes to nutrition; but if you are not being “mindful” per say, you may be eating MORE or the wrong types of food and only eating based on EMOTION. Or you are eating so fast you are not eating enjoying your food, what it tastes like, what it smells like, how filling it is and the texture/flavors of it.

Mindful eating is a technique that helps you gain control over your eating habits.

It has been shown to cause weight loss, reduce binge eating and help you feel better, more satisfied (physically AND mentally).

This article explains what mindful eating is, how it works and what you need to do to get started.

What is Mindful Eating?

Mindful eating is based on mindfulness, a Buddhist concept. Mindfulness is a form of meditation that helps you recognize and cope with your emotions and physical sensations (1, 2, 3, 4). It has helped treat many conditions, including eating disorders, depression, anxiety and various food-related behaviors (5, 6, 7).

Mindful eating is about using mindfulness to reach a state of full attention to your experiences, cravings and physical cues when eating (8).

Fundamentally, mindful eating involves:

Eating slowly and without distraction.
Listening to physical hunger cues and eating only until you’re full.
Distinguishing between actual hunger and non-hunger triggers for eating.
Engaging your senses by noticing colors, smells, sounds, textures and tastes.
Learning to cope with guilt and anxiety about food.
Eating to maintain overall health and well-being.
Noticing the effects food has on your feelings and figure.
Appreciating your food.

These things allow you to replace automatic thoughts and reactions with more conscious, healthier responses (9).

Why Should You Try Mindful Eating?

In our fast-paced society, we face an abundance of food choices every day.

On top of that, distractions have shifted our attention away from the actual act of eating, and onto televisions, computers and smartphones.

Eating has become a mindless act, often done quickly. This can be problematic, since it actually takes the brain up to 20 minutes to realize you’re full. If you eat too fast, the fullness signal may not arrive until you’ve already eaten too much. This is very common in binge eating.

By eating mindfully, you restore your attention and slow down, making eating an intentional act instead of an automatic one.

Also, by increasing your recognition of physical hunger and fullness cues, you’ll be able to distinguish between emotional and actual, physical hunger (10).

Furthermore, you’ll increase your awareness of triggers that make you want to eat, even though you’re not necessarily hungry.

By knowing your triggers, you can create a space between them and the response. That gives you the time and freedom to actually choose your response.

Mindful Eating and Weight Loss

MANY diets do not work long-term because of the restrictions, and diet usually means not a LIFE CHANGE. Around 85% of obese individuals who lose weight return to or exceed their initial weight within a few years (11).

Binge eating, emotional eating, external eating and eating in response to food cravings have been linked to weight gain and weight regain after successful weight loss (12, 13, 14, 15). Chronic exposure to stress may also play a large role in overeating and the development of obesity (16, 17).

The vast majority of studies agree that mindful eating helps you lose weight by changing eating behaviors and reducing stress (18). A 6-week group seminar on mindful eating among obese individuals resulted in an average weight loss of 9 lbs (4 kg) during the seminar and the 12-week follow-up period (10). Another 6-month seminar resulted in an average weight loss of 26 lbs (12 kg), without any regained weight in the following 3-month period (19).

By changing the way you think about food, the negative feelings that may be associated with eating are replaced with awareness, improved self-control and positive emotions (17, 20, 21, 22, 23). When unwanted eating behaviors are addressed, the chances of long-term weight loss success are increased.

Mindful Eating and Binge Eating

Binge eating involves eating a large amount of food in a short amount of time, mindlessly and without control (24). It has been linked to eating disorders and weight gain, and one study showed that almost 70% of binge eaters are obese (25, 26, 27). Interestingly, mindful eating has been shown to drastically reduce the severity and frequency of binge eating (17, 20, 28, 29).

One study found that after a 6-week group intervention in obese women, binge eating episodes decreased from 4 to 1.5 times per week. The severity of each episode also decreased (30).

Mindful Eating and Unhealthy Eating Behaviors

In addition to being an effective treatment for binge eating, mindful eating methods have also been shown to reduce (20):

Emotional eating: Eating in response to certain emotions (31).
External eating: Eating in response to environmental food-related cues, such as the sight or smell of food or because you are out to eat with others who are peer pressuring you (32).

Unhealthy eating behaviors like these are the most commonly reported problems among obese individuals. Mindful eating gives you the skills you need to deal with these impulses. It puts you in charge of your responses, instead of you acting on them without thought.

How To Practice Mindful Eating

To practice mindfulness, you’ll need a series of exercises and meditations (33). Many people find it helpful to attend a seminar, online course or workshop on mindfulness or mindful eating.However, there are many simple ways to get started, some of which can have powerful benefits on their own:

Eat more slowly and don’t rush your meals.
Chew thoroughly. 20 chews for each bite. Should TAKE 20 MINUTES TO EAT YOUR MEALS!
Eliminate distractions by turning off the TV and putting down your phone or driving and eating (which too many are guilty of eating on the go).
Eat in silence OR with someone else that makes you slow down and have a legit convo with them.
Try eating with your non-dominant hand (left handed for most…)
Focus on how the food makes you feel. PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY!
Stop eating when you’re full. DRINK WATER BETWEEN BITES AND MAKE SURE TO STOP YOURSELF AT 20 MINUTES.
Ask yourself why you’re eating. Are you actually hungry? Is it healthy?

To begin with, it is a good idea to pick one meal per day, to focus on these points.

Once you’ve got the hang of this, mindfulness will become more natural. Then you can focus on implementing these habits into more meals.