Many of us have often been told to slow down while eating. Our hurried lifestyles sometimes push us to eat “on the run;” in between or at meetings; in the car; and often cause us to substitute quick snacks and “fast foods” for meals. This type of distracted eating may add weight and certainly takes away any pleasure from eating our meals.

If we eat more slowly and focus on the food we are eating rather than a task at hand (driving, typing, reading, tv, phone, etc.) we will notice the smells, flavors, texture, and colors of our food. In addition to enjoying these basic food characteristics, we will also improve our health in a variety of ways.

For example, if we eat too quickly we will tend to overeat. Since it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to register that our stomach is full, when we eat too fast, we will never get that signal in time, and will continue to eat. The result is stuffing ourselves which affects good digestion. In turn, by not digesting well, we may negatively affect absorbing the true nutrients in the food we are eating.

Mindful eating has been linked to shedding pounds. By selecting healthy foods to eat in advance, eating them without rushing so we receive the benefits of good digestion, and getting the signals that we are full without stuffing ourselves, we will find it easier to lose weight. Different types of meditation techniques have also been considered by nutritionists as part of mindful eating, e.g., biting into a peach, closing one’s eyes, and noticing smell, taste, texture, chewing and swallowing, is all part of enjoying an eating experience and is one way to teach us how to slow down.

Bingers have always had a difficult time with curbing their desires to eat. To help with this problem, NIH has funded studies that used mindful eating techniques for treating binge eating. By using mindfulness- based eating techniques, it was reported that there were declines in binging and depression. Further, these therapies helped participants enjoy their food more and be more able to control their overeating; helped people recognize the difference between emotional desires for food vs. physical hunger; and provide people with a choice when the urge to eat strikes them. We also have to remember the unhealthy affects of being overweight and how mindfulness will also help alleviate these as we fight binging.

How do we switch to a more mindful eating approach? This may be difficult as eating habits are hard to shift, especially when we are busy. But since mindful eating has been very effective in improving our health, it is certainly worth a try!

When we head for the refrigerator or a restaurant, we must ask ourselves if we are really hungry or if a glass of water would help us delay eating until we really should take in a meal. We also can divert ourselves from eating by taking a walk or reading. Once we decide to eat, there are some sensible steps we can follow:

First, pick one meal a day to practice mindfulness and eating. We need to plan what we going to eat and make it as healthful a meal as possible given our circumstances. Set a timer and take 20 minutes to eat the meal, no matter how small. We should think about only the food as we are eating. Note the smell, color, texture, chewing, swallowing, what it takes to grow or produce the food. Be sure to take small bites of the food while eating. After a week of doing this, add another meal and follow the same steps. Eventually, all meals that we eat will be “mindful” and our health and quality of life will be improved! Happy Experimenting!