When someone eats mindlessly, they are not paying attention to what they are consuming. When one's attention wanders while eating, one tends to eat quickly and consume more than one should. It's also known as mindless eating, binge-eating, and bored-eating (eating while bored).
Stop Eating Mindlessly With These 8 Simple Steps
Before we begin, bear in mind that if your eating habits are mostly based on emotional difficulties that you are unable to manage on your own, you may need to see a counselor. It's always a top priority for you to take care of your mental health. Asking for treatment for depression, anxiety, or any other problem should never be stigmatized.
Jump to:
- Stop Eating Mindlessly With These 8 Simple Steps
- 1. Alter Your Food Purchasing Habits
- 2. Make a change in your eating habits
- 3. Stay away from all-menu buffets.
- 4. Do not order too much or too little food.
- 5. Schedule Meal Time
- 6. Take Your Time Eating
- 7. Know What You're Eating
- 8. Appreciate Your Food
- Final Thoughts
1. Alter Your Food Purchasing Habits
Food should not be purchased while you are hungry, dissatisfied, or overjoyed.
The HALT Method To Stop Binge Eating: There is an acronym called HALT that may help you stop binge eating (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired). Never go near food when you're hungry, angry, lonely, or weary. This is an excellent technique to avoid purchasing food or binge-eating. You'll probably wind yourself purchasing or consuming a lot more than you would have otherwise.
2. Make a change in your eating habits
When you're on the run, watching a program, or chatting to someone, even on the phone, don't eat.
If you can't locate a spot to sit while holding food, at the very least find a location to stand and eat while stationary. Wait until you've finished or tossed away the meal before proceeding.
Never sit with a bag or a bowl of fast bits if you want to quit eating while watching TV. Set explicit boundaries ahead of time so that you always stop viewing the movie or series when you feel the want to eat anything.
When someone calls in when you're eating, it's better not to answer the phone. If you can't do that, at the very least tell them you're eating and will return as soon as you're done.
3. Stay away from all-menu buffets.
The reality is that the more food you see, the more likely you are to consume it.
Don't waste your time at an all-you-can-eat buffet. You won't understand why you had to try all of the courses until you've stuffed yourself with dessert.
4. Do not order too much or too little food.
Don't order more food than you'll be able to consume. When you order more than you typically do, you'll wind up eating everything. You do so either because you don't want to waste any food or because you don't know when to stop until you've finished it all.
You'll have eaten long after your stomach is full in either situation. As a result, don't eat only to finish your meal.
5. Schedule Meal Time
Stop taking a fast snack in the midst of essential work if you have a tendency of doing so. Finish or postpone that work first, then eat.
Please have a seat, even if it's only for a snack. Show some self-compassion and be gentle to yourself. If you can't locate a seat, lean against a wall while standing and eat while in this sedentary posture.
Finally, while you're eating, don't forget to let go of any other responsibilities. Control your want to work on transactions while you're eating.
6. Take Your Time Eating
Before you begin eating, tell yourself that you have enough time to complete your meal.
It doesn't matter whether you're eating alone or with others; there's no need to hurry through it. There isn't a war going on, and you aren't dressed for battle. To persuade yourself you're free to eat whenever you want.
Chew 32: The easiest way to stop yourself from overeating is to chew your meal for a long period. To help you remember, remind yourself that you'll chew each mouthful of food 32 times – once for each of your 32 teeth.
7. Know What You're Eating
Allow your thoughts to attentively track the process while you eat.
As you pick up and put food into your mouth, get to know it. With your mind's eye, follow the morsel as it makes its way to your stomach.
As soon as you realize your mind has drifted away from your table, put down your fork. Bring your attention back to the present moment and take it on a trip within you with your meal.
8. Appreciate Your Food
Allow all five of your senses to participate in the act of eating. Enjoy the moment to the fullest.
Look at your food with affection. With your bite, you can sense it. Allow your senses of smell and taste to have a love affair with it. Pay attention to it.
Before you start eating, don't make a decision about how much you'll consume. Allow your adventure to unfold. Feel satisfied when the meal fills you up.
Final Thoughts
Online applications and social media are increasingly driving the society we live in. They've crammed our waking hours with activities. And the time they have taken away from us has come from two sources: sleeping and eating.
We don't have enough time to sleep now. We don't have the time to eat mindfully.
We hope you are able to fit both into your schedule. We hope you'll put an end to your thoughtless eating and start eating mindfully.
