Mindful Eating - Tips or experiences?
TW- ED Mention
Hi, all!! 🤗 during the pandemic many of my mental illnesses got worse, including my eating disorders. I suffer from both sides of the spectrum, both restrictive and binge eating and it can be overwhelming just to nourish my body.
I want to learn to have a happy and healthy relationship with food , and I always heard that “Mindful Eating” can help.
Is there anyone here who practices it? How do you go about it?
I read things about no distractions, but sometimes you just eat with other people and have limited time. How do you stay mindful then?
I also read about paying attention to the colors, flavors, textures, etc of the food. And to eat more slowly. Because of my currently predominant ED I eat very fast and hardly chew food.
Any tips, thoughts, experiences or encouragement are highly appreciated 🤗🕊
@holdingtohope
Hello there. Not so long ago, eating was something sacred in most cultures. The term "Earn a Living" was common, and many people knew how was a day without eating. Back then, eating the leftovers of the previous day was the most common thing (if there was leftovers). Families had a special time sharing their food arround a table and some religious people did pray to give thanks for being able to eat that day.
Today, most of us, who have internet access and computers, dont even know what is to be really hungry, wanting to eat and not being able, wandering arround, thinking what could we eat.
I was told as a kid by some of my older relatieves, that the magic ingredient to really apreciate food is being hungry. I dont recomend you to stop eating or being hungry, but being more aware about what it has meant for mankind to just being able to eat may help you to enjoy more your foods.
Hope it helps someway. Hugs =)
I also feel the same and I have been struggling myself with this. I have listened to a couple mindful eating mediations on the calm app.
For me key is to actually sit down and eat at the dining table. Not in front of the tv or computer. Even if it is just for 5-10 min. Another tip is to take some time to set the table. Not just eat out of a box but from a plate of possible. So just plating gives more time for appreciation. I also often eat too fast so one tip is actually putting the fork or chopsticks down between each bite.
when with others it might help to talk about the food experience while eating. So I try to describe the food and what I like about it sharing with my friends.
It’s one little step at a time.
@holdingtohope
So, after literally and figuratively going up and down on the scale, I've figured out that I really *do* have to be mindful when eating. And for me and my body and metabolism, this means stopping eating as soon as I can tell that I've had enough. In my situation with my body, any extra calories that I don't need gets piled on in the form of extra pounds very quickly. And so, everyday I really do have to be mindful (and accountable) for every thing I take in for food.
mindful eating is hard at beginning. My experience is that even though I would like my attention to only focus on the taste, texture, smell, and look of the food, my mind would still shift away to other things. It is hard to control our mind. So what I do is simply shifting my attention back to the eating when I find I was drifting away. And I find mindful eating become a bit easier for me after a period of time.