The Mindful Eating Checklist
Improve your gut health, one bite at a time.
Think over the last 24 hours. You probably can’t recall much of what you’ve eaten save for a few main highlights. This is the case with most of us. In fact, we eat even when we’re doing activities completely unrelated to nourishing our bodies with food and drink. We eat when we’re watching TV, when we’re reading, when we’re driving, when we’re walking — some people have been known to eat while they’re working out. Yes, even a piece of fruit counts.
And most of that is not a huge problem per say. Much like we are offended not by “What someone said” but by “How they said it” — most of the time our bodies are affected not so much by “what we put into them” but by “how we do it”.
Eating and drinking are some of the most basic activities we do every single day and for the sake of our health, most of us at some point or the other start thinking about levelling up. We plan diets, workouts, intermittent fasting periods, some of us starve ourselves because we desperately want to achieve the “ideal body mass” ASAP.
And all of that (except the starving) is good if that’s what our bodies need.
But maybe the first step towards better gut health, digestion, and weight loss isn’t jumping onto a treadmill or eating only salads at most meals. Maybe the eating and drinking thing itself is what needs a makeover.
At Masterlife, we focus on helping people acquire and develop life skills for the mind and the most important ones are the skills that teach one how to keep their bodies (and by association, their brains) in peak condition.
Our course on Mastering the Art of Mindful Eating with Sarah Edward covers 30 modules of everything you need to know about mindful eating and how it can completely turn your life around.
The course is all-inclusive in terms of theory, frameworks, activities, and real-life examples and should definitely be given a go but let’s look at some over-arching themes that could do us a whole world of good.
WHAT IS MINDFUL EATING?
Mindfulness means continual focus on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
Being aware in the moment could just as easily apply to eating — an activity that we indulge in multiple times a day — every day: EATING.
Ideal mindful-eating food choices are similar to any healthy diet — centred on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and vegetable oils — but the technique works when eating pizzas and steaks as well.
In essence, mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food — as you buy, prepare, serve, and consume it.
Chew each bite properly, enjoy the aroma of the meal, immerse yourself in it. Try and get in 30–40 chews per bite. It might seem tedious at first but the immense benefits are undeniable.
Mindful eating however, starts even before you take that first bite, and there’s a simple checklist that can help change the game.
THE BASIC CHECKLIST
#1: NAIL THAT SHOPPING LIST
This will sound a little boring but hear me out. Start making complete shopping lists before you step out (or go online) for grocery shopping. Make it a practice to consider the health value of every item you add to your list. When at the store, try and stick to the list as much as possible.
Will you still make impulse purchases? Yes, you’re only human. That’s okay. But you’ll be more aware of the specific purchases.
Fill most of your cart in the produce section and keep a time limit that you’ll allow yourself to be in the processed foods sections/aisles. Don’t forget to factor in the time spent near the chips and candy at the check-out counter.
Try this every time you shop for a month and soon this will become more a habit and easier to follow.
#2: APPETITE, YES. STARVING, NO.
Always make sure that you come to the table with an appetite, not when you’ve skipped meals and are absolutely “starving”. When you’ve skipped your meals, you will believe eating anything as a great idea and will eat to fill a void. Make sure that your food-related decision making is not compromised.
Start with a small portion. Take small bites. It’s easier to taste the food when your mouth isn’t full. Chew well until you can taste the essence of the food. (You may have to chew each mouthful 20 to 40 times, depending on the food.) You may be surprised at all the flavours that are released.
Keep a calm pace no matter how hungry you’re feeling. Enjoy your food, every bite of the way.
#3: APPRECIATE THE STORY OF YOUR FOOD
So much went into that plate of food in front of you. Take a moment to contemplate that. Affirm gratitude for the sweat and toil of the farmers. Pause for a minute or two before you begin eating to contemplate everything and everyone it took to bring the meal to your table. May it do wonders for your health and energy.
#4: USE ALL YOUR SENSES
When you’re cooking, serving, and eating your food, be attentive to colour, texture, aroma, and even the sounds different foods make as you prepare them.
As you chew your food, try identifying all the ingredients, especially seasonings, masalas, and condiments.
Cooking can be truly therapeutic so make sure you give yourself the time and space to do it without the pressures of family commitments at least thrice a week.
For a deeper look into daily habits, tips, hacks, meal plans, and all things mindful eating, do check out the course Master the Art of Mindful Eating on Masterlife.
For learning new skills or understanding yourself and your mind better, remember — we are just a click away.
Cheers!
