How To Be Mindful Of Your Eating Habits
by: Cam
Date: 16 Feb 2023
Introduction
Your emotions, state of mind and everyday habits, intrinsically link with the foods you consume in your day to day lives – we like to eat when we are celebrating, happy or sad; we eat when we want to be social, or when we want to simply give our body the energy it needs for the day. Being mindful and aware of our environments and habits is a great starting point to understanding the who, what, why, when and where of food (think of it as the 5W’s of food).
Everything starts with mindfulness
Each and every meal has a purpose – find yours in each! Now, don’t get me wrong, we can have bad habits when it comes to food but this blog is not about changing these; it’s about being aware and understanding of our eating habits. Ask yourself: why am I eating this?
This can be impacted by any number of things – your daily routine may guide the times you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. This is important because sticking to a ‘food routine’ can help you plan and understand exactly why you make the nutritional choices you do which simplifies the process of change when it comes time.
Close your eyes for me and think back to the food you’ve eaten today (or yesterday). Why did you eat breakfast at that time and why did you specifically eat what you had? Did you eat that because of nutritional value, because you felt like it or just because it is a lifelong habit? How did this specific food make you feel afterwards? I want you to try to think about those questions each time you plan, prepare and consume a meal.
A few example questions might be
- Are you eating with other people? If yes, how fast are you eating? Are you only eating because someone else is hungry?
- What are you eating? Is it a quick and easy meal, or the cheapest option? Did you look at the nutritional value, taste value and how hungry you are in making that choice? What led you to wanting to have that particular meal?
- What time are you eating and why? Is it because that is the most convenient time in your routine? Is it because that’s when others are available to go out with you, or it fits in with your fitness and work schedule? Or are you simply eating because you are bored or hungry?
- Where are you eating? Are you cooking at home or dining out more often? Do you use delivery services to bring food to you and why? What environment are you eating in?
- Why are you eating? Are you hungry? Are you bored, or is it just the time of day you are ‘supposed’ to eat? Or do you need energy for your everyday task?
Being mindful of why we make the food choices we do will help to understand why we make the choices we do. When it comes to food, know exactly how to make more nutritional decisions, without being stuck in our old unhealthy habits – take into consideration, how this food will impact you after its consumed, whether it may be a bloating or full feeling, burst of energy, tiredness or even satisfaction. Breaking down the process can implement the importance of being mindful when planning your food regime.
Positive environment, Positive mind
Food is a very social thing – we like to go out and Instagram our brunch, take friends and family to our favorite cafe’s and restaurants or simply fit in a quick and nutritious lunch between meetings with our colleagues. Because of this social aspect, it is important that we share our position on food with those we interact with – the power of social accountability! This isn’t just limited to when we eat out, but when we cook at home for our families or just for ourselves.
Eating a meal always has a reason; whether you’re hungry, bored or just feel like you need to – there is no wrong answer. But, by being aware of this, you can understand how to keep yourself accountable and aware about the nutritional choices you make.
Mindful eating will go such a long way to shaping your ability to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet. Just remember: Stay strong against, stay motivated to workout even after a long day and stay connected to your goals!
Keep checking back in to The Realm to stay up to date on all things fitness, health and wellbeing. Our community at THE REALM is here to support you and your goals to ensure you stay on track to become the best version of yourself you can be!
References:
- Mindfulness: retrieved from https://cdn.beherenownetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/food-mindfulness.jpg