Does this image look familiar to you?
As you eat or drink do you watch television, play or read on your mobile devices, tend to the children, work at your desks, or even drive? We do these things thinking we are multi-tasking, being efficient or taking a well-needed break.
What we are really doing is engaging in unhealthy eating habits which may be contributing to obesity and other health issues, in ourselves and in our children.
This is why we at A.S.K want to introduce you to the concept of mindful eating. To be mindful is to be completely aware of what is happening in the present, to be fully aware of all that is going on within ourselves and all that is happening around us, from moment to moment, without judgment or preconceived notions.[1]
To engage in mindful eating includes being completely aware of your eating: the taste, texture, smell of your food. It means you savour what you eat, observe how your body responds to the food and recognize when you have been nourished enough so that you do not overeat.
When you teach yourself and your children to become mindful eaters you are encouraging health-enhancing actions. You observe and be more aware of your motivations for being healthy and anything that might prevent you from moving towards better habits. You will realize what you as an individual will need to do, as well as the types of community and social support you need in order to move towards healthier behaviours.
Mindful eating encourages you to observe and be more aware of your motivations for being healthy and anything that might prevent you from achieving your goals so that you move towards the better choices for overall better health for your family.
If we break it down mindful eating means being aware of:
1. The type of foods to eat
2. When and where to eat
3. How to eat.
Here are some ways you can implement mindful eating into each of these.
THE TYPE OF FOODS TO EAT
Make a shopping list. Consider the health value of every item you add to your list and stick to it to avoid impulse buying when you’re shopping.
Many products we find in our grocery stores and restaurants are highly processed and loaded with sugar, salt, or refined carbohydrates, which are not good for our health. The foods you want to choose focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and limited healthy oils. So, fill most of your cart from the produce section and avoid the aisles that tend to be full of processed foods. It may seem more convenient and cheaper at first to go for processed foods but in the long term the fresh produce it best.
Involve your kids: Take your children grocery shopping and encourage them to select fresh produce they want to try. Encourage your children to try different food once a week. Let your children be a part of the preparation process: they can wash produce, toss the salad, sprinkle cheese or spices, or anything safe for their age. This way your children gain an understanding of the effort it takes to prepare a meal, see more value in it and appreciate it more than before.
WHEN AND WHERE TO EAT
Don’t skip meals. If you do, you might end up filling up on junk rather than fuelling it nutrition. You want to eat when you’re hungry, but not ravenous or might overeat to compensate for the skipped meal. Be aware of whether you are eating because you’re actually hungry, bored, need a distraction, because it smells good or because Auntie is encouraging you to eat. If it’s not because you are hungry then reflect on whether you need to eat.
Choose to eat where you can focus on and appreciate the food set before you. Try to gather around the table at least once a day if possible, if not you eat at the table and enjoy your food yourself.
Involve your kids: Let them help set the table. While it might be easier to feed them in front of the tv or tablet try instead to make them aware of the food in front of them. Bring the little ones in high chairs closer to the table and remove their tray if possible, so that they are more involved. Encourage the older ones to sit at the table and give them permission to leave after they have eaten their food in a mindful manner.
If you are trying something new and the kids don’t like it, explore their response. Ask them what caused their dislike. Was it taste, smell, texture, or temperature? Offer the food another time in different cooking methods, shapes, temperatures, and offer something that looks good. Remember that it takes 10 to 15 times for children to trust and try a new food
HOW TO EAT
Before you delve right into eating, take a moment and reflect on the food before you. Consider everything and everyone it took to bring the meal to your table. The farmers, the harvesters, the packagers, the delivery people, the staff who unpacked it at the grocery store, the cashiers or the sellers at the stalls, and those who prepared it just to name a few. Silently or out loud and in turn give thanks for the opportunity to enjoy your food and for the people you are enjoying it with,
Bring all your senses to the meal. Do this at for all stages of the meal process: cooking, serving, and eating your food. Pay attention to the colours, textures, aromas. What sounds do the different foods make as you wash, peel, slice, dice, sift, knead and otherwise prepare them?
This is more intentional than just being aware that it smells or tastes good. Devote at least five minutes to mindful eating before you chat with your tablemates.
Involve your kids: As you chew your food, try to see if each of you can identify all the ingredients, especially seasonings. Are the ingredients local or from another country?
Encourage them to take small bites. It’s easier to taste food completely when your mouth isn’t full. Put down your utensils between bites. Chew thoroughly. You may be surprised at all the flavours that are released.
The more you use mindful meditation the more you will be aware of your food, the choices you make surrounding your food and then eventually all your other habits regarding your health.
Try this mindful eating meditation to give you an idea of what is involved in this practice.
[1] Thich Nhat Hanh. Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life ( PDFDrive.com ).mobi (Kindle Locations 54-56). Kindle Edition.