Eating is meant to be pleasurable and satisfying but is often mindless and guilt-inducing instead.
If you want to lose weight or sort out digestive issues then it's important to be aware of what you are eating and whether you are actually hungry when you eat. It may seem obvious, but how often do you just grab the nearest thing, wolf it down and rush off to take the kids somewhere or get back to work? Or sit and graze whilst watching TV not knowing how much you are eating?
Over eating and digestive complaints often happen alongside a lack of mindfulness.
So what can you do?
Slow down...sit at a table to eat, switch off the TV. Think about what you are eating and take your time with the meal. Chew your food properly. Digestion starts in the mouth, if you swallow food without chewing properly then your stomach and guts will have a harder time trying to digest. Chewing also makes you eat more slowly. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to get the message that you are full after eating, so if you eat slowly then you are likely to eat less.
If you eat lots of junk food snacks when bored, be aware of this. Ask yourself if you are really hungry. If you are then make sure you have healthier options that you enjoy available to snack on. If you are not hungry, have a glass of water or cup of tea and find something to do or go for a walk to distract yourself.
Mindful eating really works and is a powerful tool to help you develop a healthier, happier relationship with food. It is also a good way of helping you look at the type of food you eat and how to get more variety into your diet.
If you want to lose weight or sort out digestive issues then it's important to be aware of what you are eating and whether you are actually hungry when you eat. It may seem obvious, but how often do you just grab the nearest thing, wolf it down and rush off to take the kids somewhere or get back to work? Or sit and graze whilst watching TV not knowing how much you are eating?
Over eating and digestive complaints often happen alongside a lack of mindfulness.
So what can you do?
Slow down...sit at a table to eat, switch off the TV. Think about what you are eating and take your time with the meal. Chew your food properly. Digestion starts in the mouth, if you swallow food without chewing properly then your stomach and guts will have a harder time trying to digest. Chewing also makes you eat more slowly. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to get the message that you are full after eating, so if you eat slowly then you are likely to eat less.
If you eat lots of junk food snacks when bored, be aware of this. Ask yourself if you are really hungry. If you are then make sure you have healthier options that you enjoy available to snack on. If you are not hungry, have a glass of water or cup of tea and find something to do or go for a walk to distract yourself.
Mindful eating really works and is a powerful tool to help you develop a healthier, happier relationship with food. It is also a good way of helping you look at the type of food you eat and how to get more variety into your diet.