Multi-tasking and juggling work, home life, and everything in between have become a monumental challenge for many of us. Add the holidays or traveling and you can pretty much throw out the idea of being mindful—especially when it comes to our eating habits. 

With the vast majority of Americans eating on the go, a quick bite has become the norm. We reachPublishing optionsPublished, Sticky at top of lists for what is convenient and waste no time devouring that convenience food because time is of the essence.

But what happens when we eat mindlessly? For one thing, it makes it difficult to lose weight. The better question is what happens when we eat mindfully? Let’s explore the art of mindful eating!

Is our food eating us?

When we do not eat with awareness, it is like our food is eating us instead of the other way around. We miss out on connecting with the very essence that food offers us.

Eating mindlessly often results in indigestion and a whole host of other food-related health issues we might not even be aware we have caused.

It’s easy to take stock of our food choices and to know when we have chosen something that probably isn’t the best for us. But this article isn’t about not eating junk food or how many calories we eat in a day. It is about using our awareness while we eat, which has many benefits for our overall health. Obviously, eating nutritionally healthy food is important when it comes to being a healthy weight. But what are the added benefits of mindful eating?

Benefits of mindful eating

• Increases the feeling of being satiated

• Reduces stress and anxiety

• Improves digestion

• It may help you lose weight

• Reduces emotional mindless eating

• Improves your relationship with food

• Increases gratitude

• Results in choosing healthier foods

• Improves your quality of life

Helpful tips for practicing mindful eating

Eating mindfully does require that we slow down, even if it is for just a few minutes when we first start to eat. Here are some tips on how you can improve your eating behaviors with mindful eating.

Eating mindfully with a few moments of silence

Many traditions across the world begin a meal by closing their eyes and speaking aloud a prayer to express gratitude before eating. Or silently praying. This time can be a spiritual connection with the food you eat. It is also an opportunity to realize all that had to happen for a plate of food to be in front of you. These few moments help increase mindfulness before you have even taken a bite.

Good eating habits begin with awareness

Whether you are eating a fresh, juicy grape or a dried, shriveled raisin, or even a crispy potato chip…you can experience mindful eating. Try this exercise for mindful eating:

1. Place a grape, raisin, or potato chip in the palm of your hand. With the innocence of a child, or a space alien, who is seeing and experiencing this food for the first time, look closely at the food. Notice everything about it while using all your senses

2. Put the food, or part of it, into your mouth. But before you chew it, explore everything about this food

3. Slowly chew without swallowing

4. After you have fully chewed your food, slowly swallow and continue to pay attention to all the textures and flavors

Lose weight when you chew your food until the cows come home

All joking aside, have you ever seen how a cow chews and chews and chews the grass they eat? It’s a lot of chewing! One common piece of advice that experts give is to chew your food at least 32 times! How many chews do you think that quick bite had? Probably not even 10! 

Turns out eating slowly and chewing each bite is a little bit of work. But so worth it! Try increasing how many chews you take per bite a little at a time so you’re not overwhelmed trying to be mindful. You might just lose weight in the process!

Eating slowly

Just like the Simon and Garfunkle lyrics from Feelin’ Groovy, “Slow down, you move too fast!” We can all take this advice when it comes to eating mindfully. You might be thinking “How can I practically do this?!?” 

A little self-effort and determination are required. But again, pace yourself. You don’t need to go from 0 to 100 immediately. Choose some times when it is easier to practice mindful eating. Maybe one meal a day or on the weekends. Start slowly and build on your success.

A few deep breaths can help you slow your roll. Try using straw breath for a minute or two. Breathe in deeply through your nose and slowly exhale out through your mouth as if you have an invisible straw in your mouth. Straw breath is also good whenever you have emotional triggers.

Taking time to slow down before you eat not only helps you to eat slowly and with awareness but also helps your body’s signals to reach your thoughts. It takes approximately 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your body it has enough food. That could be 20 minutes of overeating!

All of these tips will help you practice mindful eating and being in the present moment.

Try this 10 minute guided mindfulness meditation

Here’s a relaxing, short guided mindfulness meditation led by Art of Living founder, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Enjoy!

 

Meditation and breathwork can help you eat mindfully every day

If you’re interested in increasing mindfulness in general then a combination of meditation and breathwork is the answer. Specifically, SKY Breath Meditation, which utilizes your breath for easy access to deep meditation.  Practicing SKY daily will naturally give you a more mindful life whether you are eating or juggling your busy schedule. It might even help you lose weight.

Who knew that healthy eating could improve through breathwork and meditation? Now you know!

Ready to learn more about SKY? Just click on the image below to pick a day and time that works for you. Time is of the essence ; )

You might also like to read Meditation for Beginners Guide: 25 Tips to Calm your Mind