Mindfulness, the art of being in the present, is a terminology that finds profound use in our fast-paced society, and mindful eating is a secret weapon to take care of yourself. A word of caution here—mindful eating is not the '2021 fad diet' nor does it revolve around food choices and restrictions but, it is simply how you look at what you eat from a fresh perspective. 

Why Should We Eat Mindfully?

A simple question, do you remember what you ate since morning? Mostly not, as we don't focus solely on our food while eating it, but always eat while working, watching tv, or driving. Sometimes, we do eat mindlessly to fight emotional imbalances, all of which can put our health in turmoil.

Mindful eating is a boon for all—those who binge, have other eating-related problems, and the rest of the world—as it curbs overeating, helps in weight loss, improves diabetes-related symptoms, and minimizes the urge to overeat. In a world where popcorn tubs and monster burgers rule, getting body cues for fullness and hunger can go a long way towards better health and well-being.

Six Ways to Fix Your Eating Habits

Humans are gifted with the sixth sense, so it's time we put on our thinking caps and synchronize our everyday eating routine as a mindful eating practice:

• Eat slowly to give enough time for your brain to become attuned to your body. The brain takes at least 20 minutes to realize fullness, but we indulge in all that's possible to overload our taste buds. Take small bites, chew every mouthful at least 25-40 times, and place your spoons down between bites to slow down.
• Our body clocks are designed to sleep, wake up, and eat at specific hours but ask yourself whether you are truly hungry or if it's just emotional hunger (born out of anger, sadness, or frustration) before starting to eat. Drink a glass of water when you feel hungry, and if hunger persists, it's your body calling out for food
• Take time to smell your food, its texture, taste, and everything present in it. Relish what goes into your mouth and try eating a variety of foods to satisfy both your taste buds and your mind
• Eating alone has no boundaries to your choice and quantity of foods, and it is recommended that you eat together with others. By doing this, you slow down, learn useful eating tips from others, avoid grabbing the plateful of fries, and more. Keep your kitchen filled with foods such that it motivates all of you to choose healthy ones for meals or snacks
• Avoid watching tv, speaking over your mobile, or reading a book while eating your meal. In short, no multitasking but focus solely on your plateful of food, and this helps you listen to body cues, sense fullness, and take care to chew bites of food.
• Instead of attacking food with fierce hunger, maintain proper meal timings to avoid being 'hangry' (hunger anger). Rather than taking food for granted, pause for a minute, express gratitude for all those involved in growing the food and make sustainable choices that's better for yourself and the planet

Make a shift from feeling too full of food to feel full of energy and spirit by eating mindfully.