Changing your relationship to food

13.3.2017

Overeating is endemic in our culture. Food has never been so plentiful, cheap and easy to get hold of. It’s never been so easy to unwittingly gain weight and develop all the attendant health problems that follow.

 

By changing how we feel about ourselves and about food, we can keep our minds and bodies healthy. Mindfulness training can help.

 

Unconscious eating

The problem with eating is that it’s often an unconscious act. With so many factors influencing the amount we eat, if we eat unconsciously then we can easily miss the signs that we’ve eaten much more than we want or need.

 

A study in 2005 by Cornell University, in the US, found that if you do something else while eating, maybe watching a film, you’re naturally more likely to eat unconsciously. Groups of people were given buckets of either fresh, or stale, popcorn in different sized containers while watching a film. Those who had fresh popcorn in large containers ate 45% more of the popcorn than those who had fresh popcorn in medium containers. Even those who had stale popcorn in large containers still ate 34% more than the participants who had stale popcorn in medium containers, showing it’s not just hunger and taste that affects eating, but the size of the portion and the circumstances.

Mindful eating

Mindful eating is the act of paying attention to the present moment while eating and experiencing all the senses the body produces. Research suggests that we make 200 decisions a day about eating and drinking so this is not easy. The good news is that a mindful approach to eating can be learned and cultivated with promising results.

 

Many studies have shown that mindfulness techniques really work at controlling eating and facilitating weight loss. A research review by Olson and Emery 2015 found that out of 19 studies where a mindfulness approach to weight loss was adopted, 13 led to significant weight loss. This is an area that needs more attention, but the evidence suggests that mindfulness really does help people to gain control over eating habits.

How to practice mindful eating

Select a place where you will eat each day and avoid the sofa or bedroom, preferably you’ll be sitting upright at a dining room table. Make your dining area enjoyable to be in so you have positive associations with eating.

As shown in the popcorn study, eating while doing something else leads to bad habits. Make eating a specific task and dedicate your time and attention to only that so no TV or distractions. Of course, if eating with others, conversation is fine.

 

Only eat when you are hungry. If you’re not sure, drink some water and see how you feel after that. Consider portion sizes when putting food on a plate and avoid serving dishes on the table.

 

As you eat, bring your attention to the present moment and concentrate on every mouthful and bite. Feel each sensation in the body and enjoy the different tastes, textures and smells. Pay attention to feelings of fullness and stop when you’ve had enough.

 

Bringing your attention to the moment is a great skill to learn for success in all aspects of life. Consider adopting daily meditation and a mindfulness approach where possible for a healthy happy life.

 

To learn more about how mindfulness and how it can improve your relationship with food for health and vitality, contact rachel@mindfulnessworks.com or call (+44) 01223 750660.