Ommmmm…creating mindful eating habits may seem like an almost superfluous task, but in the modern
world when we’re overwhelmed by so much conflicting noise and activity, it begins to eat into our
wellness habits – like settling down to enjoy a meal.
Let me help you rediscover that foodie zen zone.
If you can name a dietary approach or so-called ‘fad diet’, chances are I’ve probably tried it in my time.
Keto, plant-based, intermittent fasting, tick, tick, tick. If there’s one key takeaway from my years of experimenting, it’s that the most rewarding mindset for creating healthy food habits, is a balanced
approach.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to the way we eat, so rather than setting yourself prescriptive, inflexible rules that can lead to anxiety and guilt, I think aiming for balance allows you to take little bits of naughty and little bits of nice to make sure you don’t feel like you’re missing out on any of the good stuff. Don’t focus too strictly on what you eat, instead, put a lot more energy into how you eat.
Here’s my advice for practising a mindful eating regime
● Don’t shop on an empty stomach!
I find we can sometimes mentally switch off in the supermarket and fill the basket with things we haven’t fully considered. If you pay close attention to the pre-prepared list in front of you, you’ll avoid the wrath of those 3pm sugar cravings later. If you’re a stickler for something sweet, lean towards brands that live by the term “balance”.
Halo Top is my pick for healthy desserts and I’m a sucker for their growing oat milk range; it’s plant-based but oh so creamy, and each tub is only around 280-360 calories (even the Triple Choc Cake)!
● Create a nourishing space. Your environment can have a huge impact on how much you eat, and similarly, how it makes you feel afterwards. It’s important to create some ambience and set the stage for a really calming meal – rewarding your body with the nutrients it needs.
Think flowers on the dining table, lighting a candle within the room, finding a sun-filled section of the house. Make yourself feel both comfortable and relaxed so you can focus on the good mood food you are fuelling yourself with.
Hear Sarah on the podcast
● Eating mindfully doesn’t mean being mindful of what you eat. It also means being mindful when you eat. How many times have you scoffed down some food while multitasking and then still felt hungry later because your brain didn’t register the meal?
Being distracted while you eat can not only take the joy away from the experience but lead you to overeat, eat too quickly, or chew insufficiently (hello, digestion problems). The easiest trick for me is to ask am I eating or am I eating and watching/scrolling/listening? Try eating in silence and really focus on the flavour, texture, and aroma of your food. This not only helps me recognise when I’m full, but helps me to learn to enjoy the art of mealtimes even more - it’s quite therapeutic.
These are three very simple steps for introducing a little more mindfulness into your day, when it comes
to eating. Take away the worry and distractions, learn good from the bad, and at the end of the day, do
your best to make yourself feel good from the inside out.
