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.
A beginner's guide to: Eating (mindful)
eating with awareness, mindful eating, intuitive eating, thoughtful eating, sustainable eating
Want to get into eating (mindful)?
- • Open our free app for step-by-step support. You’ll get guides that help you start and stick with it. You don’t need to be a pro, just jump in and give it a go.
- • You’ll also find other activities, with suggestions that match what’s most useful to you right now. Less thinking, more doing.
- • Track what you do, make gains, and adjust as you go.
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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.
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Why eating mindfully is good for you
Mindful eating improves emotional awareness and food choices. The practice helps curb impulsive eating, enhances meal enjoyment and fosters healthier relationships with food.
Enhances tuning in to emotional triggers
Focus area: Emotional awareness (Impact rating: High)
Sharper attention at mealtime
Focus area: Focus (Impact rating: High)
Improved mental flexibility
Focus area: Creativity (Impact rating: Medium)
Reduced food-related shame
Focus area: Identity & worth (Impact rating: Medium)
Healthier diet, potential energy lift
Focus area: Vitality (Impact rating: Medium)
People who love mindful eating
Oprah Winfrey
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Sheryl Crow
Person
Tom Brady
Sports
The Big Bang Theory (TV Show)
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Want a closer look at eating (mindful)?
Ways to try it, what to expect, and how to stay safe. Read on!
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!"
Start today
- • Open our free app for step-by-step support. You’ll get guides that help you start and stick with it. You don’t need to be a pro, just jump in and give it a go.
- • You’ll also find other activities, with suggestions that match what’s most useful to you right now. Less thinking, more doing.
- • Track what you do, make gains, and adjust as you go.
Explore your options
Whether you go it alone, join a group, or work 1:1 with a teacher, we’ve laid out what each path can look like.
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Unexpected advantages
Ancestry, history, facts and other trivia
Eating without distractions, like TV or phone, is a key principle of conscious eating.
Chewing each bite 30-40 times aids in better digestion and nutrient absorption.
Ayurvedic dietary principles, which emphasize conscious eating, have been practiced for over 3,000 years.
In the movie Elf , Buddy the Elf famously adds maple syrup to everything he eats, even spaghetti.
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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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