What is mindful eating?<\/b><\/p>\n Mindful eating\u2014otherwise known as intuitive eating\u2014is the ability to slow down and eat intentionally.<\/span> Michelle May MD, founder of mindful eating workshops \u201cAm I Hungry?<\/span><\/a>\u201d believes awareness of food and the eating process is a necessary component to changing behaviour. \u201c<\/span>Many of the habits that drive overeating are unconscious behaviors that people have repeated for years, and they act them out without even realising it,\u201d Michelle tells<\/span> Today\u2019s Dietitian.<\/span><\/a> \u201cThe process of mindfulness allows a person to wake up and be aware of what they\u2019re doing. Once you\u2019re aware, you can change your actions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n So how do we bring mindfulness onto our plates?<\/b><\/p>\n First we have to acknowledge that what we eat is central to good health. Once we accept this truth, we can then begin to understand why we are often feeling tired, sick, lethargic. We can work towards changing our mindless eating habits and begin to buy and eat food that serves to fuel our bodies in a purposeful way. Once we begin to be more aware of how our food serves as a foundation of living optimally we then begin to approach it different.<\/span><\/p>\n The 6 key questions of mindful eating:<\/b><\/p>\n Why do I eat? <\/b>Are you an emotional eater? Do you eat subconsciously? Are you even hungry?<\/span><\/p>\n When do I eat? <\/b>Do you eat three main meals or do you snack constantly? Do you skip meals?<\/span><\/p>\n What do I eat? <\/b>Do you eat lots of sugary snacks or do you eat lots of<\/span> gluten-free<\/span> organic foods<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> paleo snacks<\/span><\/a>?<\/span><\/p>\n How do I eat? <\/b>Do you eat quickly standing up or whilst working at your desk or do you take your time and enjoy your meal?<\/span><\/p>\n How much do I eat? <\/b>Are your portion sizes adequate or do you fill your plate to brimming point and feel obliged to eat it all?<\/span><\/p>\n How do I spend my energy? <\/b>What do you do to burn the kilojoules? Do you have a high-stress job, sit on the couch, chase after your kids or do you do high-impact exercise?<\/span><\/p>\n When we start to ask these questions and explore the responses we start to think and behave differently. We start to seek out the right information about our food, where it is sourced and how it is grown. We start to question how it is produced, whether other chemicals, preservatives, additives were used in its production. We begin to ask ourselves whether we care about how the animals were treated and whether the farmers and food workers were paid decently and under safe working conditions. We consider the effects on the environment, food mileage and even the company\u2019s corporate social responsibility program. We start to identify how different foods makes us feel, which ones make us feel sluggish and are best to avoid and which ones gives us boundless energy.<\/span><\/p>\n So instead of allowing your autopilot to dictate to you how, when, what and how much you should eat, bringing mindfulness helps to break away from your negative eating patterns and helps you down the road to a more healthy, satisfying and enjoyable relationship with your food, and in fact, your life.<\/span><\/p>\n If you need more advice or looking for a tailored eating plan, please contact our team on 07 3399 1002. We\u2019d love to help you achieve your health and wellness goals.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Eating is a fundamental activity that allows our bodies to gain the nutrients and vitamins that we need to function in the day-to-day. But how many of us are actually present when we eat? How many of us are trying … Continue reading ![\"vegies](\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/vegies-cropped1.jpg\")
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