Mindful Eating

Every month, experts present us new diet recommendations that promote lasting health, weight loss and peak performance. The knowledge about healthy diet consistently increases and changes with research being done in the field of nutrition, medicine and biochemistry. Nevertheless, the majority of people struggles with eating healthy and is getting confused about the various, sometimes even contradictory nutrition advises. We are not sure what to eat and tend to lose trust in our own bodies when our nutrition is merely based external advice and on rational decisions. 

What is Mindful eating? 

The philosophy of mindful eating propagates a diet without a strict plan, but instead to decide about our food with a “gut feeling” and with a balanced connection between heart and brain. By eating mindfully, we establish and maintain a present moment awareness of the food and drink we put into our body. 

“Mindful eating is a way to become reacquainted with the guidance of our internal nutritionist.” – says Jan Chozen Bays, Zen teacher, author and mindful eating educator. In her courses and books, she teaches simple practices that help people establish a happy and healthy relationship with food, liberating them from calorie-counting, overindulging, falling for food fads and from worrying that they are not eating like they should. “You already know how you should eat”, she teaches. It is simply a matter of discovering that inherent wisdom through mindfulness.

Why we need to become our own nutritionist

What images come to your mind when you think about healthy diet? How many opposing views on healthy diet have you heard and got confused about all the different food trends out there – from raw to vegan, keto to alkaline, intermittent fasting to “flexitarian”? Maybe your idea about eating healthy is connected to counting calories and restraining yourself. And after a few weeks of eating according to a strict food plan, you might have fallen back into your old eating patterns. We tend to categorize food into good and bad and start ignoring the actual needs of the body and our gut feeling. For example, if you crave for fries and substitute it with a healthy salad, the need of your body for something salty and oily might still be there. 

Mindful eating can be the solution when you don’t want to get crazy about nutrition for the rest of your life. It is not a new diet which excludes certain foods. It is more about the how and why we eat, about consciously observing ourselves in regards to food. We learn again to trust the signals of our bodies about its needs, the feelings of hunger and satiety. It leads us back to our own bodies, gives us back authority and gives less importance to media, expert opinions and calorie charts. We learn to take responsibility and to trust ourselves again. 

How to start eating more mindful and intuitive  

The first step to be reacquainted to our internal nutritionist may be to do a “reset” first with a detox program. Udara offers five different detox programs of various lengths with either a liquid cleanse or raw food diet. When we choose to detox, we give our digestive system a rest and help to restore it to its optimum function. Many of our guests experience that a detox gives them the opportunity to break unhealthy habits, get more in touch with their bodies and become more aware of what, how and why they eat.  

To start a mindful eating practice, set the intention to eat slowly without distractions. Listen to your feelings of hunger and satiety. Engage the full spectrum of your senses into the eating process to notice colours, smells, textures, flavours and even sounds. Give appreciation for your food; where it comes from, how it was grown, who helped to transport and prepare the food. Notice how food affects your mood and energy levels. 

The following questions can be helpful for a mindful eating inquiry: 

• When do I eat and why?
• What kind of thoughts and emotions am I linking with food?
• What eating patterns have I acquired from my family (e.g. “You have to finish your plate!”)?
• Where are my thoughts when I’m eating?
• What food is really nourishing me?
• How does my food taste; what texture does it have; what kind of colours and smells does it have?
• Am I consciously savouring each bite or do I feel guilty when I am eating? 
• Do I take enough time for eating? Do I eat at regular meal times? 
• Do I link certain foods to activities such as eating crisps while watching Netflix?  

How cravings are linked to emotions

Often times we eat because we like to reward ourselves and compensate something that is missing. It is not always the actual hunger of our stomach. It can be emotional hunger as a lack of appreciation, physical intimacy, stimulation of the senses or boredom. We are longing for positive feelings such as joy, love, acknowledgement relaxation, but they will not be satisfied with food. The first step is actually to become aware of this connection and to find better solutions that fulfil the emotional needs in our lives.

How mindful eating will benefit your body and mind

Mindful eating will help you slow down and take time to savour your eating experience with the different textures and tastes of each mouthful, instead of rushing your meals and overhearing the body’s hunger and fullness signals. Eating consciously and slowly will help you feel fuller sooner and thus is a great help in maintaining a balanced weight. 

Your digestion will be improved, as you start to make wiser and more intuitive food choices and take time for eating without being emotionally charged or stressed. 

Mindful eating is not a quick-fix diet to solve all issues around eating. It a conscious practice to include into your daily life to help you feel balanced and healthy.