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Written by Navneet Kaur, M.Sc. Nutrition & Dietetics

Diet

Is Mindful Eating a Path to a Healthy Body?

This is simply eating with awareness, noticing your hunger, fullness, flavours, textures and reducing the distractions.

Introduction

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Pay attention to internal cues of hunger and fullness, external cues like the environment. It helps engage your senses (taste, smell, texture).

How It Works?

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It helps reduce emotional eating and binge eating by providing higher satisfaction with meals, leading to more enjoyment and better self‐esteem & less guilt about eating.

Behavioural & Psychological

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When one eats mindfully, it leads to better weight management and improved metabolic markers like balanced blood sugar, possibly lipid profiles too.

Health Benefits

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Though this is not a quick fix, as habits take time to form, it may also require guidance or coaching to adopt the lifestyle properly.

Challenges

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a) Remove distractions (phones, TV). b) Take time for meals, and eat slowly. c) Notice hunger vs emotional cues. d) Use smaller portions. e) Reflect after meals on fullness & satisfaction.

How To Practice Mindful Eating

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Diets tend to focus on restriction and rules much more, while mindful eating focuses on awareness and helps create a relationship with food.

Mindful Eating vs Dieting

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a) Start with one meal per day, being mindful. b) Use cues (e.g. put fork down between bites). c) Keep a small journal of hunger/fullness signals. d) Practice gratitude before meals.

Integrating Mindful Eating in Daily Life

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Mindful eating is not just about what you eat, but how you eat. It can support a healthier body and help build a better relationship with food. This works best when combined with balanced nutrition and physical activity.

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Conclusion

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