Session 5 - Mindful Eating - CoolockALS

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Mindful Eating

Today’s life is very fast-paced and there are a lot of different foods ready to tempt us at any time of the day.

Sometimes we eat on the go or in front of the television and a lot of the time we don’t pay attention to what we are eating or how much we are eating.

Sometimes we eat out of boredom or stress and not because we are hungry.

When you focus on the food you’re eating you will recognise when you are full much earlier, so you will eat less.

By paying attention to what we eat we will make a greater effort to choose food that is healthy for us.

We can still have our treats, but in moderation.

Watch

Watch the short video introducing you to 5 Mindful Eating Tips.

Think

Think about the tips that you have learnt for Mindful Eating.

Which ones do you use?

You might like to take note of those you already use and any other ways that you can think of to practice mindful eating, for example:

Sit at a table
Turn off your phone
Eat slowly – enjoy the taste
Drink water with your food
Eat your favourite food last

Try It Out

Practice

Practice Mindful Eating

Try this mindful eating exercise using all your senses to experience your food.

Spend a couple of minutes doing this.

1. Find a small snack, for example, a raisin. Look at it very carefully and notice its colour, shape and texture.

2. Using your finger and thumb, feel the food. Gently squeeze it – is it squishy / sticky?

3. Hold it up to your ear and roll it between your finger and thumb. Can you hear anything?

4. Lift it up to your nose and smell it. Can you smell anything?

5. Using the tip of your tongue, taste it. Then place it in your mouth. What do you notice? What can you taste? Spend a few moments chewing your chosen snack, noticing the different flavours.