Introduction to Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is applying attention to thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and

behaviours associated to eating. The use of mindful eating to encourage weight management

and healthy eating is growing. Nonetheless, the phrase encompasses a wide range of

behaviours that may influence behaviour in quite different ways. Although mindfulness has

its roots in Buddhist teachings, its application as a therapeutic or interventional approach

dates back to the late 1970s (Tapper, 2022).

From the perspective of health and wellbeing, it is important to explore easy, more

accessible methods of mindfulness, with activities that are generalized over a larger

population. Eating being universal, is the most essential and comfortable activity, that if

viewed with mindfulness, provide long-term benefits to the mind and body. Recent research

suggests that mindful eating strategies, either by themselves or in conjunction with other

lifestyle modification programs, may have an effect on physiological markers in overweight

people. When combined with weight-neutral tactics, mindful eating therapies significantly

improve the control of obesity (Hayashi et al., 2021). The interplay of environmental factors

influences eating behaviour by influencing food preferences, meal time, and consumption

amount. Both physical and mental health depend on eating a balanced diet, but there isn't a

single, universally applicable model of healthy eating. Mindful eating influences appetite,

food selection, and intake. It also involves recognizing internal and external stimuli without

passing judgment. Eating with an emphasis on internalizing the idea of physical vs

psychological hunger and satiety cues and acknowledging the impact of both physical and

emotional emotions in reaction to eating is known as mindful eating (Dogan & Tengilimoglu-

Metin, 2023).

Principles of Mindful Eating

There are three principal factors included in the broad paradigm of mindfulness

practices of eating behaviour. They include present moment awareness, a Gestalten

therapeutic view that envisions a here and now element, making the practice the only

conscious present activity for the individual. Under the present moment awareness, sensory

properties of food are noted, the smell, texture, colour of the food in front is observed and

perceived by the individual. The second element of internal bodily sensations require asking

the crucial question of why does the individual eat. Which internal mechanism propels the

individual, driving hunger to the activity itself. The individual self-reflects on why they eat

and what satiates them, making them understand their internal forces, so they can have a

comprehensive understanding of their eating behaviours. Cues that elicit eating or the urge to

eat are also answered by the above-mentioned cues, both psychological and physiological in

nature.

The second factor decentring involves considering urges to be fleeting mental

occurrences that are distinct from oneself. Acceptance refers to watching and investigating

urges without passing judgment on them, as opposed to attempting to suppress or manage

them, accept the automatic nature of over-indulging thoughts. The third factor, acceptance
has emerged as a key idea in a number of novel cognitive-behavioural therapy approaches

like the acceptance-commitment therapy (Lundh, 2005).

Some other concepts centric to eating behaviours and mindfulness include, intuitive

eating and internally regulated eating and savouring. The goal of "savouring" is to increase

the strength and persistence of good emotions and affect. Studies have indicated that the

possible advantages of savouring include enhancing psychological health and reducing

unpleasant emotional states. Clinical populations may find that savouring techniques are

especially helpful in altering biobehavioural processes that can increase a person's inclination

to exercise control over how to develop, intensify, and promote psychological well-being

while also reducing negative affective states (Cullen et al., 2024). Savouring eating can be

beneficial in attaining the goal of present awareness and heighten the appreciative response

towards consumption of food, increasing positive affect from the gratitude expressed.

Intuitive eating posits that the body "knows" what kind and how much food to eat to maintain

proper weight and nutritional health if it is given the right information (Van Dyke &

Drinkwater, 2013).

Internally regulated eating results from the brain's coordination of hormonal,

neurological, and mechanical impulses, which are then converted into the subjective

experiences of hunger and fullness. "Internal" or "physiological cues/signals" are phrases

used to describe the biological sensations that accompany hunger and satiety (Palascha et al.,

2020). Understanding these concepts, a diverse range of mindful eating benefits can be

accorded with appropriate behaviours.

Benefits of Mindful Eating

The benefits from mindful eating can be following;

 Better Digestion: Your body has longer to digest food adequately if you take time

eating and observe what you're eating.

hunger and fullness better, and hence will not overeat and take appropriate portions.

Your weight can be controlled by observing more attentively what and how much you

consume.

 Greater Satisfaction: You will be more satisfied and food will be more enjoyable to

eat if you eat slowly and savour every bite.

 Less Stress: Eating slowly can calm individuals down and prevent the tension and

anxiety that is associated with eating.

Exercises: Practicing Mindful Eating

food in the present moment is the Raisin Exercise. This exercise is popular due to

mindfulness teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn, who showed us how to utilize our senses and rediscover

eating with the help of a plain raisin (Kabat-Zinn, 2015). The idea behind the exercise is to

really concentrate on what we are eating and enjoy the taste, textures, and sensations as much

as we possibly can.

Steps of Instruction

The participants were instructed to take a raisin (due to practical difficulties, a small candy

was utilized by the participants). The following steps were hence followed;

 Preparation: Take the raisin and sit in a quiet and peaceful surrounding. Take a few

deep breaths and calm your nerves.

 Observation: Carefully watch the raisin, notice all its features like texture, colour and

smell, etc. Notice other environmental elements present around the raisin, like the

lighting of the room, the colour of the plate or table and the room as a whole with the

raisin present.
  Smell: First consider the sense of smell and take a deep breath, letting the scent of the

raisin influence you. Understand and recognize the familiar aroma, stay non-

judgemental of the new scents you might smell and let the process continue.

 Touch: Move forward to gain the tactile experience of the raisin and feel its intricate

features on your fingers and the presence of the moment before consuming the texture

of the same.

 Taste: Place the raisin in your mouth, take a slow and gradual advance towards biting

it and feel the sweetness and sourness of the raisin together. Let your tongue and the

corners of your mouth feel the raisin before swallowing

 Swallow and finish the total experience of the exercise.

Activity 2 The "Five-Bite Exercise"

This activity was explained to the participants to engage in during their lunch periods and

further later dates when they wish to exercise mindful eating. The following steps or

instructions were given;

 Bite 1: Before you eat, take a bite and examine it. Take note of its curls, hues,

shadings, and shape. Enjoy this nibble while practicing basic mindfulness. Be mindful

of every chew and take your time. This bite should be a basic mindful bite.

 Bite 2: As you eat this bite, you will notice its flavour. Chew it slowly and completely

after placing it in your mouth. Take note of the flavours you encounter. Continue

chewing until all of the food has been consumed, and then swallow. Give up. Take

note of the aftertaste. Savor the bite.

 Bite 3: You'll see textures in the following bite. Take a third mouthful and examine it.

After that, place it in your mouth, but wait before chewing.

subsequent bite. Start chewing after placing the bite in your mouth. Pay close

attention to each chew. Listen to how the chewing sounds and how it evolves over

time. There is still some sound even after the bite has been fully chewed. Once the

bite has been fully chewed, swallow.

 Bite 5: There is some agony in every food. In order for you to have food, some plant

or animal had to exert energy and even offer its life. As you take this fifth bite,

consider the plant or animal and eat it with appreciation, giving thanks for its

existence. Chew quietly, thoroughly, and slowly. When you're done, swallow.

Further the two activities, detailed pamphlets were handed over to the people around

which tips and benefits of exercising mindfulness in eating behaviours. Situation specific

cases example was also mentioned, as a success story to instil a sense of positivity with the

activity itself.

Overall, the session was about 20-30 minutes and included a group of 4-5 students. The

exercises were also continued with elders between the ages of 40-50 in individual settings.

These practices were emphasized and activity feedback was taken from each of these

participants with a simple questionnaire about their food habits.

Conclusion & Reflection

Mindful eating ensures eating without distraction, which strengthens the bond

between individuals and food. Healthy eating habits, however, revolve around supplying the

body with concentrated nutrition, well-balanced foods. These include portion control,

hydration, and eating a variety of whole foods. Healthy eating habits and mindful eating can

complement improved digestion, improved mental health, and sustainable, long-term well-

being. ensures eating without distractions, which consolidates the connection among
individuals and food. On the other hand, healthy eating habits focus on supplying the body

with dense nutrition, properly balanced foods. These include portion control, staying

hydrated, and eating a variety of whole foods. Healthy eating habits and mindful eating can

complement improved digestion, improved mental health, and sustainable, long-term well-

being.

The objective of the Raisin Exercise was to engage all the senses like taste, swallow,

and observation to really taste the food. The Five-Bite Exercise encouraged participants to

focus on the taste, texture, and sound of the food as well as cultivate a greater appreciation

for the food. Feedback was given after both exercises were practiced in a relaxed

environment. The subjects mentioned that they felt more connected to their food and more

aware of their eating behaviour. The exercises gave them interesting information about how

important mindfulness was in improving the way people ate.

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