Mindful Eating
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Learn how you can be more satisfied with what you’re eating, for longer.
Next lesson: Macronutrients & Energy
Lesson 4: Mindful Eating
What is mindful eating?
Mindful eating is eating with awareness. It is tuning in to the speed at which you eat, the tastes, the smells, and the textures of each mouthful you experience. It is also tuning in to how it makes you feel.
Eating food in this way leads to more enjoyment of the experience, more control of your eating habits, and ultimately leads to feeling more satisfied with what you’re eating (meaning you can eat less, sanely).
Do you overeat?
A lot of people have a habit of overeating. Food tends to be ingested quickly and is often followed by feelings of sluggishness, lethargy, and being “stuffed”. This habit, while it can be satisfying, can eventually lead to weight-gain and also increases your likelihood of developing type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health risks if repeated regularly.
There are several systems at play that make overeating or binge eating more likely that have to do with more than just willpower. The three main reasons are:
Unhealthy relationships with food
Poor quality of digestion
Distorted hunger signalling
Do you have a healthy relationship with food?
It’s important to form a positive relationship with food because it isn’t just nutrition that food gives you. Emotions are powerful motivators and if you aren’t mindful of how and why you are eating, then you could be building an unhealthy habit and reward system without realising it.
Signs you have an unhealthy relationship with food:
Binge eating/overeating
On-and-off dieting
Anxiety about certain foods
Feelings of deprivation when it comes to food
Feelings of shame after eating certain foods
Eating differently when out vs at home
Signs you have a healthy relationship with food:
Eating mindfully
Can stop eating when full (includes mindfulness to recognise feeling of fullness)
Eating in moderation
Enjoyment and satisfaction from meals
Consistent eating habits
Serotonin as a reward
In the habits lesson, you learnt about the reward system and how a neurotransmitter called dopamine is involved in cultivating and cementing habits into your subconscious.
Remember that a reward system can become dangerous if the reward and its effects aren’t aligned with your wellbeing.
Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that is involved in your bodies reward system and is released when you eat. It is often called the ‘happy chemical’ and is an anti-depressant that tells your brain when you are satisfied with what you are eating and how much you have eaten. It also helps you feel more calm and relaxed.
If you have an unhealthy relationship with food, stress, or your emotions then you may find yourself chasing the feeling that serotonin gives you as a reward. The craving for calm and satisfaction can prompt you to binge eat.
Digestion
Digestion is the process of breaking food down so that it can be absorbed by your body. This digestive process consists of mechanical (chewing) and chemical (digestive enzymes) processes.
If food is nearby or you are particularly hungry, the brain sends signals that stimulate your appetite and activates your digestive processes. Saliva is released in the mouth, carrying two important enzymes; amylase and lipase.
Amylase: Begins the digestion of starch
Lipase: Begins the digestion of fat.
Eating mindfully and chewing your food for longer (mechanical digestion) will let these enzymes (chemical digestion) do their work more efficiently. This makes the rest of the digestive process much easier. The better your digestion works, the better your regulation of your transmitters (like serotonin) will be, making you feel more satisfied with what you are eating and more in control of your eating habits.
Your ability to secrete serotonin is dependent on the quality of your digestion and how well you can break down and absorb food.
Hunger signalling
Aside from chasing serotonin in your bodies reward system, you also have a complex system in place to let you know when you are physically hungry and when you are full.
One of the hormones that acts directly on your brain to control this satiety is called ‘Ghrelin’ and is often referred to as the ‘hunger hormone’.
Ghrelin acts directly on the hypothalamus (a region of your brain that controls appetite and manages emotion responses). It stimulates appetite, signals to your brain to increase food intake, and promotes fat storage. Ghrelin levels are regulated primary by the types of food you eat and when you take food in.
Types of food: Carbohydrates and proteins will slow down the release of Ghrelin more so than fat, which is one of the many reasons that protein is so important in helping with weight loss.
When you eat: Eating reduces circulating Ghrelin levels. How frequently you eat makes a difference that differs from person to person, which is why some people can be hit with a wave of hunger in particular times of the day whereas others will develop their hunger over a longer time frame.
By eating a diet with appropriate portions of protein at regular intervals you can have a huge impact on your hunger levels, making management of your cravings easier.
In summary
Eating mindfully and slowly will improve your digestion, regulating your neurotransmitters (like serotonin) better. This and appropriate portions of your macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates (which you will learn more in the next lessons) will make you feel more satisfied with what you are eating and more in control of your eating habits.
Here are some ideas to get you started out with practising eating mindfully.
Eat regularly
Eat mindfully (experience each taste, texture, smell)
Eat without distractions, that means no screens and on your own (preferably somewhere quiet)
Set down your utensils in between each mouthful
Set a timer to help set the pace of your meal to eat mindfully
If you’re in a group, note who the slowest eater in the room is. Match their pace.
If you do overeat, do it slowly and be mindful of how it makes you feel. Tune into each mouthful.