Conscious eating; the Art of living in the moment of eating

Have you heard of conscious eating? In this article, we will talk about the effect of mind awareness on weight loss. Mindfulness is a term that is included in our everyday language and is used today more than ever, but the meaning of this word is deeper than how it is used in the social and biological structure of our lives. This term brings awareness to the dimensions of people’s lives.

In this way, people are encouraged to take good care of themselves. The term “mindfulness” was defined by John Kabat-Zinn as “paying attention in a specific, intentional way, in the present moment and without judgment”. In his 1990 book The Catastrophic Life, he provided guidance on conscious living based on his experiences with the program since 1979. Mindfulness is the intentional focus on one’s thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in the present moment and aims to be more aware rather than reacting to one’s situation and choices.

What is mindfulness?

With the help of mindfulness practice, thousands of people have been able to experience greater mental presence in the moments of their lives and develop the necessary skills to manage chronic pain, illness, depression, sleep problems and anxiety. This practice also focuses on conscious eating and fulfills the necessary criteria for changing one’s overall approach to eating.

It has recently become clear that following diets do not have results without changing behavior and trying to do, maintain and get results from these diets has actually become a source of anxiety. Examining which diets are most effective shows that all of them are effective in the short term and none of them are effective in the long term; For this reason, the issue of conscious eating becomes more important.

Is there a connection between mindfulness and mindful eating?

Mindful eating (paying attention to food moment by moment without judgment) is a process that focuses on people’s sensory awareness and their experience of serving food. This attitude has little to do with counting calories, carbohydrates, fat, or protein, which is common in other diets.  Mindful eating is not about weight loss, although those who choose this style of eating are likely to lose weight.

The goal is to encourage people to eat. In fact, mindful eating stems from the broad philosophy of mindfulness; A practice that has been used in many religions throughout the world for centuries.  Mindful eating means you use all your physical and emotional senses to experience and enjoy your food choices.

In this work, in addition to showing the value of food that can improve the overall experience of eating. Conscious eating encourages a person to make choices that are satisfying and nutritious for the body.  However, it does not judge people’s eating behaviors; Because there are different experiences about eating. As we become more aware of our eating habits, we may change our behavior; in a way that benefits us and our environment.

Diets usually focus on eating rules (eg what to eat, how much to eat, and what not to eat) with specific measurements for specific results. These results are likely to appear in the form of weight loss or diabetes, improving blood glucose levels, etc. All diets may succeed or fail based on weight results.  Maybe people’s diet results depend on their calorie intake and consumption, and they understand that this conclusion is related to their behavior, but it is rare for people to maintain a change in behavior without seeing the results of the change. Changing people’s behavior confronts them with stress and external pressures, and therefore it is difficult to bear it.

What is the impact of mindfulness on improving eating habits?

Mindfulness is a process-oriented rather than outcome-oriented behavior that is based on one’s experience of the present moment. A person who eats chooses what and how much to consume.  It’s no coincidence that in a conscious approach, one’s choices are often about eating less, tasting more, and choosing foods that have health benefits.

Many people who do meditation and mindfulness exercises and most health professionals believe that conscious eating is effective in changing the eating behaviors of people with diabetes; Therefore, mindfulness is a recommended method for changing the eating behaviors of people with diabetes. As mentioned, weight loss diets are usually successful in the short term. The common theme of people who are successful in following their diet is paying attention to the diet and sticking to the plan.

It lies in the difference between “mindless” eating and “conscious eating.” It is recommended to pay attention to what you eat; Such as “don’t watch TV when you eat”, “serve enough food at meals and in the right way”, “chew your bite 32 times” and “eat sitting down”. These recommendations have always been about mindful eating. Mindful eating emphasizes exactly the same thing, but the difference in mindful eating is that everyone has to decide what works best for them.

According to this attitude, different people can have different experiences and in fact there is no method that has the same results.  In fact, diversity is the basis of sustainability. This sentence, which is considered one of the main principles of ecology, expresses the fact that if all systems and people act in the same way, they will eventually face the same risks and damages.

In this case, if one of these systems cannot withstand the conditions and suffers a deficiency, the others will also show the same reaction;  Whereas if the systems have a variety of methods, if one option is lost, the others will continue to live. This important principle is well observed in all dimensions of natural history and humans. Conscious eating actually emphasizes maintaining this variety.

What is the mechanism of conscious eating?

 Mindful eating focuses on food experiences, body sensations, thoughts and feelings about food and with greater awareness and non-judgment. The goal of this practice is to promote a more enjoyable dining experience and understanding of the environment in which the food is served. In fact, scientists believe that in order to eat consciously, we need to consider these few questions:

• What do we eat?
• why do we eat?
• How much do we eat?
• How to eat?

Conscious eating

 In conscious eating, a conscious eater encounter the following:

• Considers a wider range of food: how the food was prepared and who prepared it.
• Pays attention to internal and external cues that influence how much we eat.
• When we consciously eat, we notice the appearance, taste, smell and sensation of food in our body.
• Acknowledges the pleasant feeling of the body after eating food.
• Expresses gratitude for having a meal.
• May use deep breathing or meditation before or after meals.
• Shows how our food choices affect our local and global environment.

Eating without thinking or with distraction will cause anxiety, overeating and weight gain. Examples of mindless eating include eating while driving, while working, or watching TV or other screens (phone, tablet). Although socializing with friends and family during a meal can enhance a good dining experience, talking on the phone or having a business call while eating can detract from it. In these cases, the person does not fully focus on eating and does not enjoy it. Interest in conscious eating improves people’s eating habits. It is also sometimes associated with higher diet quality;  Like choosing fruit instead of sweets as a snack or choosing smaller meals.

Challenges in the process of conscious eating

 Mindful eating is not intended to replace treatment for severe clinical conditions such as eating disorders. Not having a neurochemical balance is a dangerous factor for causing eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. Although mindfulness may be an effective component of a treatment program, it should not be used as the sole treatment.

This action may not be an effective strategy for weight loss on its own, but it can be considered as a supplement along with the weight loss program. Conscious eating involves choosing foods that provide well-being and enhance the enjoyment of the eating experience. Traditional weight loss diets focus on following a structured eating plan, which may not be satisfying or enjoyable. Combining mindfulness with a nutritionist-guided meal plan can reduce the risk of emotional overeating.

Conscious eating is an approach to eating that can complement any other eating pattern. According to research, mindful eating can lead to greater mental health, increased pleasure while eating, and body satisfaction. Combining behavioral strategies such as mindfulness training with nutrition knowledge can lead to healthy food choices that reduce the risk of chronic diseases. They also promote more pleasurable eating experiences and promote a healthy body image, but overall, whether mindful eating is an effective strategy for weight management requires more research.

Seven methods of conscious nutrition

 Conscious eating, conscious living

1. Respect food: Think about where the food was grown and who prepared the food.  Eat without distractions to help deepen the eating experience.
2. Concentrate all your senses: Pay attention to the sounds, colors, smells, tastes and textures of food and how you feel while eating. Also, pause periodically to focus these senses.
3. Serve food in medium portions: This can help prevent overeating and food waste.  Use a medium lunch plate and eat only once.
4. Take small bites and chew them thoroughly: These measures can help slow down eating and fully experience the taste of food.
5. Eat slowly to avoid overeating: If you eat slowly, you can know when you are full and stop eating.
6. Don’t skip meals: Not eating for a long time increases the risk of extreme hunger. In this case, you are likely to choose the fastest and easiest food available, which is not always a healthy choice.  Scheduling meals around the same time each day, as well as planning to have enough time to enjoy a meal or snack, will reduce these odds.
7. Use plant-based diets for your health and the health of the planet: Also, consider the long-term effects of certain foods. Processed meat and saturated fat increase the risk of colon cancer and heart disease. The production of animal foods such as meat and dairy causes more damage to our environment than plant foods.

The benefits of mindful eating

• Increased awareness of hunger and fullness: When you consciously eat, you become aware of your hunger and fullness signals. It may take some time for the stomach to send the message of being full to the brain and you realize that you are full; So slowing down your eating time gives your body time to tell your brain when you’re full. Instead of rushing to eat all the food on your plate, eating mindfully helps you figure out how much of that food you really need and how much you eat based on emotion or by finishing what’s on your plate. Hunger may be accompanied by symptoms such as increased irritability, fatigue, and stomach rumbling. Symptoms of satiety may include less enjoyment of food, a feeling of fullness in the stomach or a feeling of pressure in the abdominal area, and loss of appetite and hunger.
• Weight Loss: Mindful eating helps you avoid eating when you’re full, make intentional changes to your food choices, and reduce emotional eating. Since mindful eating helps reduce overeating, this will lead to weight loss and help regulate body weight.
• Reducing stress: Cortisol or the stress hormone plays a role in the body’s “flight or fight” response. When feelings of stress are high, cortisol levels are often high.  Research shows that mindfulness-based exercises, including mindful eating, can help lower cortisol levels.
• Better digestion: Digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are affected by stress levels.  Research shows that mindful eating may help improve digestion by reducing stress levels, reducing overeating, and slowing the rate at which meals are swallowed.
• Reduce overeating: Conscious eating helps people stop eating and check the situation. This pause helps people slow down to break the cycle of overeating. Research shows that mindful eating reduces overeating and emotional eating. This can be related to the positive effects of mindfulness-based practices on reducing anxiety and depression.
• Increased satisfaction with food: Research shows that mindful eating practices make you more aware of the signs of satisfaction with food. Over time, this condition can help reduce overeating while instilling a feeling of full satisfaction after a meal. In such a situation, it is easier to follow a balanced diet.
• Choose healthier food: When you are aware of how food makes you feel, you choose more nutritious foods. You can also make smarter choices to focus less on the foods that give you more energy; So to avoid feeling over-full, bloated and sluggish after a meal, choose foods that help you feel better.

Practical exercise to learn about conscious eating

Below is a step-by-step practical example for practicing conscious eating (about dates: to know the importance of eating dates, see the article Why Dates and How Many Dates Should We Eat a Day on the Porfiro website) so that you know how to be present in the moment, even stress  Manage yourself too:

1. Take a date and put it in front of you.
2. Imagine you’ve just been dropped on this planet and you know nothing about where you are. You have never experienced anything from Earth. Everything is new to you. Take a few deep breaths and relax.
3. Look at that date seed and pick it up.
4. Feel its weight.
5. Take a good look everywhere.  Really look at this strange object like someone who has seen a date for the first time.
6. Smell this object and pay attention to your reaction.
7. Roll the date between your fingers and hear its sound. Pay attention to its softness.
8. Pay attention to find out how you feel about the object.
9. Put the date in your mouth and hold it for a few moments. Do you notice what is happening inside you?
10. Let your tongue feel it, don’t chew, just feel it. Do you salivate? Do you want to experience its real taste?
11. Now bite it, but only once!  what do you feel
12. Start chewing slowly and notice what each bite brings.
13. Before swallowing, chew the date until the taste is released and mixed with your saliva.
14. After swallowing, close your eyes for a few moments to notice the sensation you just experienced.

This experience is a wonderful example of what we call mindful eating, which aims to focus on different aspects of moment-to-moment experience. Focusing on the sense of sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste makes you fully aware of eating in the moment. Note that this process does not tell you what to experience. It just goes to show that you should pay attention to your experience. This practice is a good example of mindfulness meditation by combining many of the attitudes that are practiced in any meditation. Following are the attitudes related to conscious eating and conscious living:

Not judging: The first thing you encounter in this experience is your judgment about dates. do you like it  We all have experience with dates; So we have judgments. Starting the process of eating by abandoning our experience of food is our first challenge. Awareness of our judgments is one of the vital elements of mindfulness.

 Patience: Obviously, one should be patient to eat with patience. Being aware moment by moment takes time. Instead of the usual way of eating a date, by chewing and swallowing it several times, dramatically relax your mind for the full experience and let your previous experiences of eating dates give way to the new experience.

Beginner’s Mind: Approaching previous eating experiences consciously without judgment just like a baby (tasting, looking, feeling, smelling and listening to something) allows you to experience them anew. And here and now to be receptive to their nature, taste, smell and inherent properties.

Confidence: By being fully aware of our experiences and accepting them as truth, we develop more self-confidence. This is our experience. We don’t have to have the same experiences as others. By paying attention and appreciating what we feel and our reactions to different foods, we accept ourselves more and as a result, we trust more.

Not trying: This is clearly the opposite of “dieting” which is about trying to lose weight. Because no specific outcome is measured in this method, you, as the eater, are allowed to be present in the moment.

Accepting – being accepted: The desire to pay attention to what is happening and accept it is at the center of the mindfulness process. This may mean accepting positive things like the wonderful taste of a single date, or accepting more challenging experiences such as our own judgments of dislike for the taste of dates.  This is the state of accepting whatever comes in the moment. That’s exactly where the difference between being fully present and being distracted is in mindful eating.

Letting go: Mindful eating involves letting go of past expectations. Like letting go of the fact that we got a date instead of a piece of chocolate when we were kids. Letting go of anything we’ve become attached to helps us receive new experiences in the here and now without judgment based on past experiences.

These attitudes are interconnected and similar methods that interact well with each other. They are important in practicing mindfulness and are essentially the foundation of mindful eating.

Another primary aspect of developing mindfulness is having a commitment to regular and purposeful practice. A regular mindfulness practice involves having conscious, planned, and consistent activity as part of your regular schedule. Consider the following examples:

• Daily mindfulness meditation: a type of meditation using moment-to-moment awareness
• yoga
• Conscious daily walking
• Conscious eating several times a week
• Whole Body Meditation: Regulating body sensations while meditating.
• Pay attention to your breathing at times throughout the day to build self-awareness into your daily routine

Each of these practices can help create a mindful approach to life by paying full attention to each moment, without judgment, while maintaining a sense of calm. Purposefulness is the mentality with which a person starts this action; In other words, what do you value?  What is your goal in training?  How will full awareness of the moment help you and your life?

If losing weight helps you in life, that’s fine, but don’t get so caught up in the goal that you lose your intention to be more present and involved in your life. Conscious eating means being fully aware of each plate or bite of food. It begins with the first thought about food and continues until the final bite is swallowed and its consequences in the body. The following suggestions will be helpful in teaching conscious eating methods:

• Before you automatically grab something to eat, stop for a moment and notice how you feel and how it made you feel. Are you stressed, bored, angry or sad? are you lonely? Are you really physically hungry? Be aware of how your body reacts and make your own choices instead.
• If your mind does not feel hungry, find the real need of the mind and do another appropriate thing to answer it.
• Consciously eat and at that time only eat and not do anything else. Put aside other distractions and pay attention to your conscious eating.
• You need to know what activities have been done to prepare food ingredients and who participated in its growth and production process? Consider the sun and soil needed to grow ingredients and ask yourself where these fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients that are placed on your plate and in front of you originated. Appreciate all the energy that goes into preparing food.
• Savor each bite the same way you did in the date exercise.
• After each bite, check your body to see how you feel. Have you eaten enough? Do you need more?  Is it time to stop eating and… then move on to whatever you’ve chosen.

Of course, like any other change, in order to create new habits, you need to take steps in advance. It includes paying attention to the purchased ingredients, preparing, serving and consuming the ingredients. For this purpose, you can use the following ideas:

1. Start with a shopping list: Consider the health value of each item you add to your list and stick to it so that you don’t end up buying everything you can get your hands on. Fill your shopping cart with basic ingredients and avoid heavy processed foods, chips and candy.
2. Come to the table with an appetite: Do not sit at the table when you are very hungry. If you skip meals, you may be so hungry when you eat consciously that you just want to fill your stomach. At such times, your priority will not be to enjoy the real taste of food.
3. Start with a small portion: Choosing a smaller plate can be a good solution.
4. Appreciate your food: Before you start eating mindfully, pause for a minute or two to think about everything it takes to bring food to the table. Be silently grateful for the opportunity to enjoy delicious food and the companions you enjoy your meal with.
5. Give all your attention to the food: When you are cooking, serving and eating your food, pay attention to the color, texture, aroma and even the sounds that different foods make while cooking. As you chew your food, try to feel all the ingredients, especially the seasonings, in your mouth.
6. Take small bites: When your mouth is not full, it is easier to feel the full taste of food. Do not fill your spoon or fork.
7. Chew thoroughly: Chew the food thoroughly so that you can taste the main flavor (depending on the type of food you may have to chew each bite 20-40 times). Then you will probably be surprised by all the flavors that will be released in your mouth.
8. Eat slowly: If you follow the above tips about mindful eating, you will eat calmly and slowly, and your meal time will become a beneficial pleasure.

How to be a conscious eater

 Learning mindfulness techniques for mindful eating takes time; So don’t feel too disappointed at first.  If you have trouble slowing down your eating, start with a short deep breathing exercise first. Before you start eating, take a few slow, deep breaths through your diaphragm (the muscle below your ribs).  During your meal, use the following tips to practice mindful eating:

1. Turn off all devices or at least their notifications. When you first start eating mindfully, try eating alone and in silence. This can help you completely get rid of distractions to make it easier for you to start this practice. Don’t worry if you can’t get rid of external distractions or if you find it difficult to sit in silence. Do whatever you can to focus more while eating. Make sure you stop all other activities during meals; That is, don’t work, don’t write during the meal. Also, stop reading or anything else that distracts you and prevents you from eating.
2. Spend at least 20 minutes eating (you can set a timer if you need a reminder).
3. Examine what you see (color, texture, attractiveness of the food) with your senses. The smell, the feel (the texture and temperature of the food in your mouth), the taste of the food and the sound that each bite makes in your ears. Also, pay attention to the feeling of your jaw and tongue moving while chewing and finally, swallowing it in the esophagus and entering the stomach.
4. At the beginning, middle and end of the meal, evaluate your hunger and satisfaction from meals.  Checking the signs of hunger and satiety will help you get to know your body’s signals.
5. Keep a journal about the foods you eat or the experience you like or dislike. You can also write down your experience of hunger, fullness, and satisfaction with meals to better assess how you feel over time.

In fact, conscious eating is a practice that requires a commitment to change behavior similar to that required for any diet or meal plan. The main need in choosing a diet is the need for attention. You should know that the main advantage of conscious eating is not weight loss; However, people who make mindful eating a regular practice are more likely to lose excess weight.

In mindful eating, people appreciate every moment that passes in full awareness and are encouraged to appreciate food instead of restricting themselves from eating and starving themselves. In this way, people trust their decisions; Rather than being restricted by rules about what to eat and when.  Mindfulness encourages people to live each moment to the fullest and appreciate their lives.

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