Mindful Eating: How to Break Free from the Everyday Struggles We Have with Food

Mindful Eating: How to Break Free from the Everyday Struggles We Have with Food

Have you ever finished a meal and realised you barely noticed eating it?

Perhaps you were watching television, scrolling through your phone, working at your desk or simply eating on autopilot.

Maybe you've found yourself reaching for food even though you weren't physically hungry but because you were stressed, bored, tired or simply looking for a little comfort.

For many people, the problem isn't a lack of knowledge about healthy food.

We already know that vegetables are good for us, that eating too much isn't ideal and that we probably shouldn't be reaching for snacks every time we are stressed.

The real challenge is our relationship with food.

This is where mindful eating can make a difference.

Mindful eating is not another diet or a set of complicated food rules. At its heart is becoming more aware of what is happening when we eat.

Our hunger, emotions, thoughts, cravings, the food itself and the signals our body gives us.

And that simple shift in awareness can be surprisingly powerful.

What Is Mindful Eating?

Mindful eating means paying deliberate attention to the experience of eating rather than consuming food automatically.

It involves noticing things like:

• Am I physically hungry?
• What am I feeling right now?
• Why do I want to eat?
• Am I actually enjoying this food?
• How quickly am I eating?
• Am I becoming comfortably satisfied?
• What happens in my body and mind as I eat?

The goal is not to judge your answers.

If you discover that you are eating because you are stressed, the answer isn't “I shouldn't be doing that.”

Mindful eating encourages curiosity: “I'm stressed, and I'm looking for food. What is it that I actually need right now?”

That small pause between an urge and an action can be the beginning of a very different relationship with food.

The esteemed mindfulness teacher Melli O’Brien has created a course that is all about mindful eating.

This course will teach you how to use mindfulness-based skills which gives you a more healthy, enjoyable, and empowering relationship with both food and your body. You can access the course here:

Mindful Eating Course by Melli O’Brien

It’s not a diet in disguise and it is not about fixing yourself. It is a journey into discovering how to be more connected with yourself, and how to nourish yourself in a sustained and balanced way so that you feel well in body and mind. 

Your teacher, Melli brings over two decades of experience to the table, having touched the lives of over a million individuals globally with her mindfulness and mental health education, coaching, and writing. 

Join her for seven 15-minute sessions that are completely self-paced and designed to fit easily into your daily life. Again, here is the link to access the course: 

Mindful Eating Course by Melli O’Brien