Tip #20: Experience Mindful Eating

There is nothing so easy to learn as experience and nothing so hard to apply.”
-Josh Billings

We’ve all done it, and for some of us it’s a daily habit: multi-tasking while eating. No matter what simultaneous activity you’re performing during your meal — working on your computer, watching television, or reading a book — the distraction prevents you from focusing on your food, increasing the chances of overeating and detracting from your ability to savor the taste of what’s on your plate.

Now, next time you sit down for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, push aside the pile of mail, turn off the television, and funnel all of your attention on eating. You’ll be much more attuned to your body and more likely to stop eating when you’re full. As an added bonus, consuming food will become a richer, more sensory experience as you gain a new awareness of its flavors, smells, and textures.

Take Home Message:

At mealtime, minimize distractions and focus on eating. You’ll likely find that you enjoy your food more and become more closely attuned to your body’s nutritional needs.

“Try to eat one meal or one snack mindfully every day,” advises Jeffrey Greeson, a psychologist with the Duke program [Duke Integrative Medicine]. “Even eating just the first few bites mindfully can help break the cycle of wolfing it down without paying any attention.”
-Quoted by Melinda Beck (Article published in Wall Street Journal)