HY 05/07: Mindful Eating: Small Effort, Big Rewards

Mindful Eating: Small Effort, Big Rewards

Have you ever looked down at an empty bag of chips in your hand, only to realize you can’t recall eating any of them?

“It’s called mindless eating, and we’ve all done it,” says registered dietitian Kathy Hanuschak of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “The problem is that it often causes us to overeat.”

When you’re multitasking—eating while watching television, driving or reading the paper—critical signals from your mouth (taste) and your stomach (satisfaction) just don’t register in the brain, Hanuschak says. So it keeps thinking you’re hungry, and you keep eating.

This is one of the findings of Cornell University researchers who studied people’s eating habits. Their experiments show that people will eat more of a food if it’s on a bigger plate, bowl or spoon, if they’re seated next to someone who’s eating a lot, or if they’re distracted by the TV.

Emotion also plays a big role in eating, says licensed social worker Jerry Rodriguez of Lehigh Valley Hospital’s Weight Management Center. An event triggers your feelings, and your habitual response is to eat. “But when you’re conscious of your thought process, you realize you can choose a different response,” he says.

By being mindful rather than mindless about your eating, you can trim at least 10 pounds in a year without ever dieting, according to Cornell researcher and author Brian Wansink. Here are some strategies from the experts:

Before you eat, ask yourself: Am I really hungry or am I just (thirsty, bored, tired, angry, frustrated, depressed)?

Allow yourself to focus on the pleasure of eating. Turn off the TV, put aside your reading, stop the car.

Dish up your meal in the kitchen and take it to a table away from the pots and pans, so you won’t be tempted to keep dipping in for additional helpings.

Imagine you’ve never eaten this food before. Set aside your preconceptions and experience each bite freshly, noticing the color, fragrance, texture and flavor.

Eat slowly enough that your stomach and brain have a chance to register how full you are. Put down your fork several times during the meal and take a few deep breaths before resuming.

Stop when you’re full, and get rid of your plate even if some food remains on it and others are still eating. Don’t feel guilty about throwing away a few bites. (This exercise will help you be more mindful in the future about portion sizes!)

Want to Know More about eating mindfully or the work of Brian Wansink? Call 610-402-CARE or click here.

Published from Healthy You Magazine May-June 2007