Stated plainly, mindful eating is the act of making mealtime about the meal, rather than watching television or driving. Take the time to plan what you are going to eat, to prepare it, to set the table and sit down to enjoy the meal as a meal. Chew, talk, have a sip of water, and immerse yourself in the act of having a real meal.
Mindful eating can help you gain some control over mindless eating: the sort of grazing one does while watching a movie or snacking while working at the computer. When my diet was at its worst, I rarely sat down and enjoyed a meal. I was always trying not to eat and yet always grazing away on snacks. By the end of the day I had no self-control left and wound up binge eating most nights.
It takes me about 20 minutes to prepare my breakfast and another 20 minutes to eat it. I pull up some music on my tablet and sit at the table as I savour some orange slices, sip my coffee, and work my way through a giant bowl of porridge and fruit. Breakfast has become a ritual for me and by the time I am done I know I won't be able to eat another bite for hours.
After breakfast I take the time to prepare my veggies for the day. As I prepare them I can't even think about eating because I am stuffed. It's just another ritual that I've developed to make sure that when my hunger returns I'll be prepared to put together another balanced meal. Focusing on mindful eating has given me the discipline to keep my diet on track for over a year now. From a BMI of 43 to a BMI of 28.4.
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