Mindful eating can help you become more aware of your eating experience and for some can play a key role in losing weight.  It has also been associated with an overall sense of well being, and a reduction in binge eating.

What is Mindful Eating?

Mindfulness is described as a form of meditation that allows you to recognize and deal with your emotions and physical sensations.  Translating mindfulness to mindful eating is described as being able to reach a state of full attention to your experiences, cravings, and physical cues when eating.

Mindful Eating Involves the Following Behaviors/Characteristics:

• Learning how to truly appreciate the food you eat.
• Engaging your senses while you eat; noticing colors, smells, textures, and flavors.
• Slowing down while eating to process the experience.
• Eating in an environment without distraction. (i.e.- without  using TV, phone, etc.)
• Learning your physical hunger cues as well as non-hunger triggers for wanting to eat.
• Separating guilt and anxious feelings from food.

By learning to change the way you think about food, while unwanted eating behaviors are addressed, your likelihood to lose weight and keep it off improves greatly.  Mindful eating is a necessary tool for those looking to regain control of their eating behaviors and can even have a lasting effect on weight.

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