I have heard people talking about Mindful Eating, what does that mean? Is it some new diet fad?

By Capt. Carolynn P. Rittermann, MS, RD, LDN, Nutrition Care DivisionJune 3, 2013

Mindful Eating
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Mindful Eating
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There always seems to be some intriguing or catchy new diet out there that claims it will give you the perfect body … you know the one you always dreamed about. Oh, and the other part is that it's easy and all you have to do is spend money on these products or buy this supplement (and never miss a dose!) or buy only this type of food or don't buy this type of food. It becomes overwhelming to dig your way through the nonsense to find some real sense in all the nutrition advice out on the media circuit today!

Mindful eating is a growing movement that has been gaining in popularity. The appeal is not because of some quick fix promises but because at its core it is the attempt to bring us back to our internal compass. It focuses on slowing down the eating process and honing in on true internal cues about food and hunger while fully engaging in the eating experience. To truly engage yourself in the mindful eating process eating must become the main focus. In other words you must put the iPhone or tablet away, stop flipping through your email, sit in one spot, and bring your awareness to the moment and to the act of eating. It is all too common in our technology sodden world to eat lunch in the car, on-the-run, while working at our desks, or in some other state of semi-distraction. By the end of the meal you cannot remember eating your sandwich even though the wrapper is empty.

It is true that mindful eating can be a slow study of how food smells, feels in the hand and in the mouth, with each bite taking 2 minutes or more as a practice to experience food in a novel way. However, it can also simply be engaging in a state of full awareness during a meal. In our fast-paced culture we often lose sight of the importance of paying attention, fully, to one activity. Eating with mindfulness brings us back to that place, the one where enjoying hearty, healthy, nourishing food is the main attraction. Choosing healthy, bright colored, whole foods that come from the Earth is a part of mindful eating. Nourishing the body is an act of love. Mindful eating acknowledges of the need for self-love through nourishment.

By eating with all of your awareness focused on the process, on how you feel, on how the food interacts with your body and your mind you will begin to notice subtle changes in how you choose foods. You will begin to choose food more easily that is healthy for your body. Mindful eating enables the slow progression of aligning your food choices with health and wellness. It helps you to overcome obstacles that block positive change. It is a new way to approach eating and can be a very personal experience, one that may be different for everyone but is guaranteed to bring new insights into why you eat, how you eat, and what you eat.