Mobile Menu

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Annie B Kay

telehealth holistic dietitian, yoga therapist

Header Left

Header Right

  • Home
  • About
    • Start Here
    • Media
    • About
    • Contact
  • Read, Listen, Cook, Shop
    • Blog
    • Quickeners Podcast
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Books by Annie B. Kay
      • Every Bite Is Divine
      • Yoga & Diabetes
    • Herbal, Supplement & Health Products Shop
  • Let’s Work Together
    • Workshops & Appearances
    • Personal Nutrition & Lifestyle Coaching
    • Contact
You are here: Home / Heal with Food / Mindful Eating: The Art & Science of Eating Better
Mindful Eating

Mindful Eating: The Art & Science of Eating Better

May 1, 2018 //  by annie//  Leave a Comment

Mindful Eating
Mindful eating is a mindfulness meditation practice that has the ability to transform your relationship with food and eating. This simple (though not always easy) practice has done nothing less than revolutionize nutrition therapy, when combined with evidence-based steps that shift lifestyle toward health.

So, What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a meditation practice wherein you:

  1. Adopt a meditative mindset. We humans have the capacity to change our consciousness from our everyday distracted state to a calm, clear relaxed and open one. With this change, you focus attention inward and relax.
  2. Pay attention to what is happening moment by moment. Mindfulness is meditation while…(whatever you are doing). So, you get curious about whatever you are doing – be it walking or eating. Slowing the process down so that you can get fascinated enough that you lose yourself – you lose track of time – is mindful meditative absorption.
  3. There is a particular attitude of mindfulness called non-judgmental awareness. As you practice, you become aware of judgements like comparisons (this food is heathy therefore good, that food is less healthy, therefore not so good, for example). In mindfulness, you aim for a direct, sensory relationship with what you are eating.

Now, Apply it to Eating

In eating meditation, you slow down, breathe and relax, and enjoy your food. Just how might that unfold?
Here’s are a few steps to get you going:

  • Make an intention to meditate while eating. Clear distractions (like TV, phones, internet).
  • Eat with all five senses. Enjoy the beauty of your plate and each food item on it. Take in the aroma.
  • Notice what thoughts and emotions come up for you, as you practice. Breathe, relax and resist the temptation to ‘push away’ thoughts. Just note – there’s a thought. Feel it, honor it, release it.
  • Chew and savor. Can you chew each bite 10 times? 30?

Here is my Kripalu video on Mindful Eating.

Getting Started

Do you need to eat like this evermore? Nope. Think of it as a practice – something you do regularly, and build like you might build a muscle.
When I teach mindful eating at Kripalu, I encourage people to begin where they are, so if you don’t currently do this practice, and you take a few mindful bites each day, terrific.
If you find that you are not practicing, chunk it down until it is ridiculously easy. So, can you take one mindful bite each day? How about one mindful bite on your day off? One mindful breath? If you don’t have the 10 seconds it takes to take one mindful breath, well…you are indeed a busy person, and there’s hope for you yet! Try try again.

What Does the Science Say?

When I wrote my first book, Every Bite Is Divine, there really wasn’t much research explaining the mechanisms by which mindfulness eating meditation or yoga, does what they do. We just knew it worked. Times have changed! Now, places like Harvard are summarizing the science of why mindful eating can be helpful for weight management. Cecilia Clementi of The Center for Mindful Eating compiled a comprehensive list of references on mindful eating last year. Impressive!

If You Liked This…Check out:

Yoga’s East-West Moderation
Let’s Get Coherent

What Has Mindful Eating Done for You?

We want to know! What keep you practicing? Share your tips and reports!

Category: Heal with Food, Meditation & BreathingTag: conscious mindset, meditation, mindful eating

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

emotional eating to eating disorder

Emotional Eating, Disordered Eating, Eating Disorders

garlic leek soup

Garlicky Leek Soup Recipe

breakfast salad recipe

Breakfast Salad Recipe

herbal water

Herbal Water Recipe

prediabetes symptoms

Prediabetes Symptoms – Here’s How it Feels

Pork tenderloin curry recipe

Pork Tenderloin Cauliflower Curry Recipe

Annie b kay

Practice Finding Peace – Begin Mindful Living Online Group

Hungarian mushroom soup recipe

Hungarian-inspired Mushroom Soup Recipe

eat well for less

Eat Well for Less: Doable and so Worth It

benefits of mindful eating

6 Benefits of Mindful Eating

Holiday stress mindfulness

Holiday Stress? Mindfulness Can Help

Gwen’s French Carrot Soup Recipe

Previous Post: «Let's get cooking Let's Get Cooking at Kripalu
Next Post: Lemon Violet Chia Pudding lemon violet chia pudding recipe anniebkay.com»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Topics

  • Heal with Food
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Recipes
    • Yoga of Eating
  • Heal with Nature
    • Plant Alchemy
    • Plant Medicine
  • Heal with Yoga
    • Meditation & Breathing
    • Yoga Therapy
  • Integrated Life
    • Balanced, Happy, Blessed
    • For Health Pros
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Annie’s Books on Goodreads

Every Bite Is Divine: The Balanced Approach to Enjoying Eating, Feeling Healthy and Happy, and Getting to a Weight That's Natural for You
Every Bite Is Divine: The Balanced Approach to Enjoying Eating, Feeling Healthy and Happy, and Getting to a Weight That’s Natural for You

reviews: 4

ratings: 14 (avg rating 3.21)


Yoga and Diabetes: Your Guide to Safe and Effective Practice
Yoga and Diabetes: Your Guide to Safe and Effective Practice

reviews: 1

ratings: 6 (avg rating 3.83)



Footer

Inspiration

“Every day is another chance to get a little stronger, to enjoy a little more, to make choices that help you live a little healthier, and to be a bit more of your own true self.”

Be You

Recent Posts

quickeners podcast episode 4Quickeners Podcast Episode 4: Not Your Fault. Now What?
emotional eating to eating disorderEmotional Eating, Disordered Eating, Eating Disorders
garlic leek soupGarlicky Leek Soup Recipe
quickeners podcast courageMoving Grief with Courage: Quickeners Special Episode
Quickeners Podcast Episode 1Quickeners Podcast: Episode 1 – Finding Inspiration
breakfast salad recipeBreakfast Salad Recipe

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 Annie B Kay · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme