Written by Melinda Charlet
Dear Dietician,
When we get ready to eat dinner, it seems like my husband is done eating his food before I even sit down to start (and he even lets me dish up first). I like to take my time and enjoy my food, but it seems like he just wants to inhale it and get on to whatever else he is doing. I spend an hour cooking the meal and it’s gone in a matter of minutes. Are there any reasons that I can share with him about it being better to eat slower or should I not make a big deal about it?
Sincerely,
Eating alone
Dear Eating alone,
In the fast-paced world that we live in today, it is easy to get into the habit of eating quickly. We have so many things that demand our attention that sometimes even finding time to eat anything is difficult. Your husband is definitely not the only person out there who rushes through his meals. But that doesn’t mean it’s okay or healthy.
Most people develop some kind of problematic eating habits over the years. Babies, for the most part, are very in tune to their hunger and fullness cues. When they are hungry, they cry until they are fed. When they are full, they stop eating. As we grow up, we can become disconnected from these cues. In our hectic, food-filled world, we tend to overeat. This may be because we were told as a child to clean our plate because there were starving children in China, or as a way to cope with stress. We learn to override our fullness cues until we don’t even recognize them anymore.
On the other end of the spectrum, some people become very restrictive with their food intake and learn to ignore their hunger cues. This can result from body image issues or just as a distraction from negative feelings.
Have you ever eaten until you were too full and then felt guilty about it? Have you ever eaten something just because you were bored, or stressed out, when you weren’t even hungry? Have you ever sat down to watch TV and finished off a whole bag of something without even realizing it? We could all probably raise our hands in answer to one, if not all of these questions. They are all examples of mindless eating.
Let’s try an experiment. Pick one of your favorite foods (let’s use freshly baked bread as our example, because that’s one of my favorites) and put a bite of it in your mouth. Now comes the tricky part. Put the rest of the piece down. This could be harder than you think, because that first bite was really tasty, and you are hungry. Acknowledge the urge to devour the food like a vacuum. Resist it. Chew slowly. Maybe even close your eyes. Focus on the texture of the crust. Tune in to the flavor of the wheat and the aroma that fills the room. This is known as the practice of mindful eating.
“By adopting a more mindful approach to eating, we can make more of what is in front of us, and more fully enjoy the food that we choose to eat.” – Brian M. Shelley, M.D.
Mindful eating is based on Buddhist principles that include eating with the intention of nourishing ourselves, and paying attention to the food and its effects on our body. It involves using all of our senses in eating food that is nourishing and satisfying, acknowledging our responses to the food without judgment, and becoming aware of our physical hunger and fullness cues. Mindful eating can put our minds back in touch with our bodies.
Research has shown that mindful eating can have many benefits. It can help reduce overeating, promote weight loss, and manage chronic eating problems such as anorexia and bulimia. It can also reduce anxiety or bad feelings that we associate with food. As we become more mindful of our eating, we can get more satisfaction from less food. We can get more enjoyment and fulfillment by savoring one piece of chocolate than we used to from a handful. Overall, it can help us have a healthier relationship with food.
Practicing mindful eating can have benefits in many facets of our lives also. As we become more mindful of our eating, we will become more mindful overall. This can help us learn to deal with our emotions in healthier ways. Other mindful practices, such as mindful breathing or yoga, can help us let go of negative feelings that we have been pushing away with food and help us learn to be present in the moment.
So, share your concerns with your husband. Have him read this article. It might be helpful to start by reading a book on mindful eating with your husband (there are quite a few out there) or see if he will go to a yoga class with you. And then start out slowly. Set aside a few minutes each day to practice mindful eating. Gradually increase the length and frequency of these sessions until it becomes a new way of being. Start by asking yourself these questions: Am I hungry? Do I taste every bite? How do I feel before and after I eat? What do I feel about this food?
Getting rid of distractions can help. Turn off the TV and put your phone away. Stop multitasking. Don’t do anything else while you eat; not even talking. This might be a little more difficult if you have little children around, but start with five minutes or even a shorter time at first. It will be good for them to get into these habits early in their lives. Mindful eating might seem awkward at first, but will become more natural as you make it a regular practice.
Hopefully, these tips and ideas will help you and your husband start enjoying your meals together, and inspire you to incorporate mindfulness into all areas of your lives.
Healthy wishes!
Melinda Charlet is a registered and licensed dietician who lives in St. George. She has a bachelor’s degree in medical dietetics, and works throughout Southern Utah and Nevada helping patients and clients achieve proper nutrition for their individual needs. She also runs her own weight-loss clinic and likes to create healthier versions of recipes in her free time. Send her your questions at [email protected].
