Mindful Eating

Has anyone looked into, or practiced "mindful eating?" It's the art of slowing down, truly appreciating your food and eating until satisfied, not stuffed.

I do. Works very well.

Otter.

I started to use this technique not long ago and try to learn to eat slowly. Sometimes it really helps, however I need time to make it a good habit.

Otter wrote:I do. Works very well.

Otter.

Hi Otter.

How long have you been doing this? I started doing this almost a month ago and it does work very well. I am fitting into my old pants now, and feeling lighter on my feet. I learned about this from a book called Thin Within (the old edition, printed in the mid 1980's -- it became a very Christian religious book later on).

Basically, the thing is that most overweight people have poor eating habits, they wolf their food down, which is an arbitrary amount, put on a plate. They often eat while distracted, watching t.v. or, in my case, monkeying around on the computer. They aren't tuned into their body's signals when they're truly hungry and when they're reaching satiety, so they don't step eating before they're full. Just learning that it's OK to not finish all your food, and to eat slowly, truly enjoying food, and the pleasant feelings that the body gives us when we eat good stuff, and stopping before we're really stuffed, taking breaks while eating, contributes to maintaining a healthy weight.

I feel much more energy and radiance since I started eating this way. It's really great, and it's really good not to have to say to oneself, I'm not going to eat any desserts or treats. With eating the Thin Within way (basically mindful eating), I don't have to eliminate any of the "sinful" foods I really love and I view food in a different way. It is no longer my enemy but a friend to my body and health.

BTW, I only binged after being on a strict whole foods, health food diet for over a month. Then I'd go a little crazy. Or, I'd let myself eat like crazy on holidays and come home ten lbs heavier. Yuck. Now, with the new tools of eating, I can really slow down and truly appreciate a little ice cream, or pastry now and then, without the guilt. Therefore, I'm learning to eliminate binge eating and developing a healthy relationship to food.

Cheers, Jerril

Hi Jerril,

I have been "eating right" for nearly three months now. I feel great. I am a diabetic (since 2009). In two months I have cut my insulin down by 75% and my doctor says I might be able to come off it completely in a few months.

Naturally I have cut down my carbs considerably and I stay away from any processed foods. I cook for myself and enjoy that too.

My binging eating was tied to my OCD, and made it that much more difficult to finally quit.

I'm glad you have been going for a month. The first week is hardest. I found going on long walks, twice daily really helped me. I do 5 to 7 miles each day.

Otter.

That's great to hear your story Otter. You must feel great to be getting so healthy. Our grandparents knew what was right: lots of exercise, good whole foods, small desserts, and plenty of fresh air.

Otter, did you read any books on mindful eating? I've really enjoyed the "Thin Within" (the first edition, anyway, it later became very religious). And, I've been looking at the book "Diets Don't Work" as well. I do believe that for long term wellness, we shouldn't cut out any of the foods we really love. Our bodies will tell us what is not healthy for us, and if we follow good eating practices for long enough, we will naturally want to eat well, I believe.

Thanks, Jerril

Hi Jerril,

I didn't read those books, no. But I have read a lot about diabetes and started my new eating habits with that in mind. A lot of books concerned with eat better don't have diabetics in mind, and even those that do can make suggestions that are not good for diabetics, in my opinion.

I think if someone has an illness that must take diet into consideration, it is best to educate oneself deeply on the illness/nutrient side first, and then apply that to books that might be helpful from a general nutrient/eating point of view.

Otter.

Yep, you got that right, Otter. You have to look through the lens of your own situation and act accordingly and not get carried away with any one health program if it's a "fit's all" type of approach. We're all different.

But, I'm really appreciating the way of eating slowly and taking time to really enjoy food guilt-free. This is a great change in my life. I eat less, I enjoy it more. It's hard to ask for anything else, really.

I put on a sweater today that was quite tight around my midsection last year, now it fits perfectly!

It didn't really pan out for me longer term. Eventually I just got ravenously hungry and started eating again. I've read that you mustn't starve yourself.

Back to experimentation phases. I'm now working with high protein again, no starches or sugars. I've lost weight doing this before. I have, from what I've read, all the signs of metabolic syndrome. Yuck. I'm doing a lot of work now to restore my health.

Sure, I'll mindfully eat, but the goal won't be to allow myself to eat whatever I want. This is nuts. It is starches and sugars that cause me to physically crave it like an addiction and to cause my body to suffer.

I'm also reading a lot of Gary Taube's lately. His science journalism makes a lot of sense to me.

Josh