A beginner's guide to: Eating (mindful)

eating with awareness, mindful eating, intuitive eating, thoughtful eating, sustainable eating

Mindful eating is about being fully present during your meals which will create a healthier relationship with food and with your body. Eating slowly and with awareness means you can truly enjoy every bite.

In a hurry and don't have any questions?

  1. Check out our safety recommendations.

  2. Cook a meal (even if it’s just a tasty piece of toast).

  3. Remove all distractions and start eating.

  4. Once you are set up, head to our Practice Guides and get started.

Looking for detailed practice guides? Hang tight, they are coming soon!

What is mindful eating?

Eating mindfully, simply put, is about paying attention and being totally present while you eat. This means that whether you are biting into a delicious apple, or savouring a yummy dinner, you are connecting with your meal and feeling great while doing it.

Eating in this way is about having the full experience with all of your senses engaged: sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. It’s about being aware of the colours and textures on your plate, the smell or crunch as you savour every bite. And, it’s about paying attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues so you can stop eating when your body needs you to, knowing you are full and satiated.

Mindful eating is gaining popularity as people seek to improve their overall health and wellbeing because by focusing on the eating experience rather than distractions, you can enjoy your food more and develop healthier eating habits.

Benefits include increased satisfaction, a more thoughtful approach to life and maybe even better digestion.

Are you ready to create new eating habits?

Let’s show you how!

Why eating mindfully is good for you

With so many reasons to add this practice to your routine (like improving digestion, enhancing awareness, and reducing stress), here are more details on the benefits you can experience by adopting this practice.

Reduces stress & boosts your mood

Emotional well-being

Helps manage hunger cues

Physical well-being

Enhances your mind/body connection

Self well-being

Makes social meals more enjoyable

Social well-being

Improves decision-making around food

Intellectual well-being

People who love mindful eating

Oprah Winfrey

Person

Sheryl Crow

Person

Tom Brady

Sports

The Big Bang Theory (TV Show)

TV Show

Real people's experiences

Starting mindful eating? Read this first

You are probably ready to start eating. But before you do, there are some important things to keep in mind. Eating mindfully is wonderful for everyone, and these helpful tips will make sure that your first time eating in this particular way is the first of many.

Common styles

There are different styles of conscious eating, so we have explored some of the main types for you to check out

Eating with awareness

Intuitive eating

Safety

⚠️

Opt for a space where you can give your full attention to the practice.

What you might experience

😋

“I'm excited to get started!”

🤔

“Do I need to be eating this slowly?”

😝

”Oh, that's delicious, what is that flavour?”

🧐

”Does this taste better than usual?”

😊

"I feel really satisfied now!"

Getting started guides coming soon...

Are you ready to give mindful eating a try?

We are busy working on detailed getting started guides and individual practice guides to follow.

What you need to know about conscious eating

Wondering whether you should start on your own, in a class or 1:1 with a teacher? Explore the table below and discover everything you need to know to get your practice started, right now.

Compare

Recommendation for first-timer

Availability

Average cost per session

Special equipment required

Potential for socialisation & community

Safety & skill building

Space or privacy required

Ease of scheduling

Setup time

Active practice time

Unexpected advantages

Ancestry, history, facts and other trivia

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” - François de La Rochefoucauld

Chewing each bite 30-40 times aids in better digestion and nutrient absorption.

In the movie Elf , Buddy the Elf famously adds maple syrup to everything he eats, even spaghetti.

Eating without distractions, like TV or phone, is a key principle of conscious eating.

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2 facts

Popular memes

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12 memes

Academic research we rate

A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mindful Eating Intervention for Post-menopausal Obese Women

Smith, B. W., Shelley, B. M., Sloan, A. L., Colleran, K., & Erickson, K. (2017). A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mindful Eating Intervention for Post-menopausal Obese Women. Mindfulness, 9(3), 836–849. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0824-9

The Influence of Mindful Eating and/or Intuitive Eating Approaches on Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review

Grider, H. S., Douglas, S. M., & Raynor, H. A. (2021). The Influence of Mindful Eating and/or Intuitive Eating Approaches on Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(4), 709-727.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2020.10.019

Mindful Eating: Connecting With the Wise Self, the Spiritual Self

Kristeller, J. L., & Jordan, K. D. (2018). Mindful Eating: Connecting With the Wise Self, the Spiritual Self. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01271

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7 research pieces

Introduction guides from around the web

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