Mindful eating and not “Dieting” for a healthy life

In contrast to mindful eating, dieting can be quite harmful. Your body may suffer from a lack of vital nutrients, vitamins, calories, and carbohydrates if you reduce your food intake while on a diet

Balanced or mindful eating emphasises fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and healthy oils and fish. With this strategy, however, you may enjoy less junk food since you will start paying more attention to what you eat

I believe that due to our hectic lifestyles, the majority of us are accustomed to multitasking. We frequently consume food or take a snack while working, driving, reading, watching television, or fiddling with our mobiles, tablets or computers. 

This causes us to eat without fully paying attention to what we’re eating.

Mindless eating fosters a lack of awareness of the food we’re consuming. I have witnessed over my long years of practice that this has a high likelihood of causing obesity and other health problems like high cholesterol and diabetes, which may eventually result in a heart attack or stroke. Remember you are what you eat!

Why is dieting not a smart idea?

In contrast to mindful eating, dieting can be quite harmful. Your body may suffer from a lack of vital nutrients, vitamins, calories, and carbohydrates if you reduce your food intake while on a diet.

Dieting can result in unfavourable alterations in body composition, hormonal alterations, decreased bone density, menstrual irregularities, and decreased resting energy expenditure.

What is mindful eating?

In my opinion, mindful eating entails paying close attention to your food during the entire process of purchasing, preparing, serving, and eating. But changing your eating habits and approach to snacks and meals is necessary in order to follow this technique.

Balanced or mindful eating emphasises fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and healthy oils and fish. With this strategy, however, you may enjoy less junk food since you will start paying more attention to what you eat.

Let’s begin eating mindfully

• It all starts with your shopping list: When making a shopping list, take into account the item’s potential impact on your health and make sure to stick to it to prevent impulsive purchases
• Bring a healthy appetite to the table: Avoid arriving at the table famished. You can be in such a rush to eat that you may miss out on actually enjoying your food if you skip meals frequently
• Respect your food: Consider everything and everyone who puts effort into bringing a lovely meal to your table. As you enjoy delicious cuisine and the company you are now with, take a moment to express your gratitude
• Take in the dish with all of your senses: Be mindful of the flavour, scent, colour, texture, and even sounds that various meals produce as you prepare them as you are cooking, serving, and consuming your food. Try to list all the ingredients, including seasonings, as you chew your food and consider their healthful properties and how they help you to maintain your health. Ensure that all the ingredients that you use to prepare your meals are safe for your health.
• Take small bites and eat small portions: When your mouth isn’t full, it’s easier to taste food. Between bites, pause to enjoy your food
• Chew thoroughly and eat slowly: Take your time chewing so you can appreciate the flavour of the dish. Before you converse with your fellow diners, spend at least five minutes practicing mindful eating. Eating slowly and chewing your meal well helps with healthy digestion and increases the nutritional value of your food. This is due to the fact that it promotes intestinal health by altering the bacterial flora in your intestines

I advise everyone to start paying attention to their bodies. Take one step at a time, making it a habit to regularly reflect on everything that we put into our meals. This will bring informal mindfulness to our daily meals which will undoubtedly result in a healthier lifestyle.

Happy mindful eating!