Mindful Eating
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 9:47AM Mindful Eating has been a hot topic in the media and recent best selling books. As a society we hear all day long ways to save time, eat on the run, and how to consume food in ways that doesn't encourage mindful eating. This philosophy has been coupled with the quandary of how to lose weight quickly.
I wonder if eating in a mindful way is the golden key to losing weight so that food can be enjoyed and savored in a way that allows the body to be satisfed with less. Taking even 15 minutes for a satisfying mindful meal can carry you over far greater than eating a few bites here and there and realizing you did not know what you even ate.
Let's start a forum on mindful eating and what that would look like and steps to encourage one another to eat in a more mindful way.
Reader Comments (10)
I always thought that mindful eathig was about just being "concious" when eating. But now that I am reading "Mindless Eating" by Brian Wanski I realize there are things going on at a whole other level. He talks about the impact of plate size, variety, how far you have to walk to get a certain food. Its very mind opening. I will continue to read, and log back in when I've read more. I wonder how many calories a day I eat standing up?
Yes - Brian Wansink's Book Mindless Eating is fabulous and really outlines with studies why people eat more than they think they do. Most of us think calories are free if no one is looking or if we are standing up. I wonder what would happen if we sat down and enjoyed every bite if that could lower our eating levels to more closely match our metabolic rates - might be worth a 3 month experiment with our group to see the changes in weight. What do you think?
It sounds like a good strategy. I confess to “dining in motion” with some regularity and agree that it most likely lowers my consciousness of food intake
I just wrote a blog on Mindful Eating and Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now to help us - take a look
http://www.susandopart.com/blog/2010/5/29/does-eckhart-tolles-power-of-now-apply-to-mindful-eating.html
In the blog referred to, it speaks of eating to solve a feeling of "unease". I think this is really true of me. I've always said I eat when I'm nervous but I think that actually the word "unease" describes much more the way I feel right before I snack. I am definitely a grazer, wanting to eat little bits all the time. I enjoy a snack much more than even a meal. I think it helps me to stop and take a deep breath when I want to snack on something.
So it sounds like you "allow" yourself a break maybe when you have a snack versus just taking a break. I think many women need to take breaks during the day to stretch, just process or detox from what is going on and our society sees food or drinks as one of the "acceptable" ways to do so - I wonder what would happen if we said "I'm feeling uncomfortable or some unease. I need a stretch break right now."
Finding ways to break, soothe, self-nurture without food may be a good way to start the process and looking for things that make us happy and calm without the need to eat....:)
I do alot of snacking during the day, and I always thought it was just boredom with what I am working on, but I think you are on to something. It is a way to take a break!!! I need to think about other ways to take a break. And I'm going to try only eating sitting down. I think it would really reduce my intake. Lastly, I love to eat and read, and its pretty mindless, I look down and the food is gone, and I didn't really appreciate it. So after reading Geneen Roth's new book I tried to eat breakfast without the newspaper. Made me crazy! And I kept thinking that reading the paper with breakfast is one of the pleasures of life. Any thoughts on this?
I completely agree - reading the newspaper with breakfast is a pleasure of mine I am willing to give up. I think she is speaking to the premise if you are so engrossed in what you are reading that you are not paying attention to your food. I think with a little forethought you can do both - it's like saying you can't talk to someone else while you are eating - and that is one of the joys of eating and conversation. I do think the book makes many wonderful points - AND sitting down is essential. Hope that helps.
Hello- with the new year here I thought this blog might start up again as a place for support, recipes, questions, etc. I would like the support as I move toward balancing my health within the concepts that Susan speaks to in her book. I think support is so important and can help accountability and goal setting/attaining. Anyone want to join me?
Best - Greg
OK- I can see not much going to happen here- best of luck everyone!
Greg