Mindful eating is about awareness. It is about slowing down and paying attention to every bite.
Have you ever been snacking while working, driving, watching television…etc.…and you reach for another bite and it is gone! Or perhaps you look for an item in your fridge and you realize it is gone but you don’t even recall eating it?
So many of us eat mindlessly and if we can make the shift to mindful eating and savoring every bite it can be a game changer!
The Mindful Eating Cycle is a decision-making model developed by Michelle May, M.D. that integrates mindfulness with the non-diet, weight-neutral approach. This model provides a practical but powerful structure that helps individuals identify and resolve the underlying drivers of problematic eating and sedentary lifestyles, regardless of size or health status. There are six decisions points in the Mindful Eating Cycle.
1. Why do I eat? Am I aware of the situations and/or emotions that trigger me to eat? Do I find myself eating even though I said I wouldn’t? Why? Have I tried lots of diets? What happened? How long did they work? Why?
2. When do I eat? How often do I feel like eating? How do I know if I am hungry? Can I tell the difference between physical hunger and head hunger? Can I direct my attention away from food until I am hungry? How can I cope with emotional triggers that make me think I am hungry?
3. What do I eat? What do I eat in a typical day? Would a journal help me see patterns? What types of foods are emotional foods for me? Do I feel guilty when I eat? Do I restrict myself from eating certain foods? Am I afraid of losing control when I eat certain foods? What could I eat that would help me feel better and become healthier? What changes can I make now? Is it possible to eat anything but not everything?
4. How do I eat? Do I eat when I am distracted? Do I truly pay attention to my food? Do I eat fast, barely tasting my food? Do I eat differently in private than public? Could I write a magazine article for a gourmet magazine about the last meal I ate?
5. How much do I eat? How do I feel when I am done eating? Do I like the way I feel? Do I feel compelled to clean my plate? If I am not hungry when I start eating, how do I know when to stop? What situations cause me to overeat? What do I do after the times I eat too much?
6. Where to invest the energy I consume? Am I physically active? Do I spend too much time on the computer or watching TV? Do I exercise? How do I feel about exercise? Do I use exercise as punishment? What are my goals for myself? Does my life reflect wellness and wholeness in mind, body, heart and spirit?
