Mindful Eating is a concept I’ve recently reflected on in my coaching practice and my own eating habits. The flexible macro-counting nutrition lifestyle can seem very numbers and measurement-driven. As a person who really geeks-out on spreadsheets, scientific evidence and precision, this appeals to me but alas, I know it isn’t the whole picture. An individualized macro-based nutrition program benefits from understanding context and addressing the reality that we eat for more reasons than meeting energy and nutrient requirements. We are thinking, feeling, complex beings. We have multiple priorities competing for our attention at any given moment, including while we eat.
Flexible eating programs provide guidelines to decide volume and types of foods to choose for our meals. Mindful Eating practices assist us with how to approach the eating experience, addressing our well-being as a whole: physically, mentally and emotionally. For me, this is an ongoing journey to unlearn less optimal habits and unhelpful thoughts I have collected in my life. If you’re reading this, I’m happy to share my learnings, and also encourage that if you are having trouble with learning to cope with guilt and anxiety about food – this may require seeking professional help from an appropriately trained counsellor or registered dietician.
For more information on Mindful Eating, check these resources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mindful-eating-guide#what-it-is
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