By Youth Perspective

IN light of recent health scares within my family, I’ve now been trying to be more conscious of the food I eat and the lifestyle I live as it relates to my physical health. I know what you’re thinking—why now? While prevention is better than a cure, it’s always better to be late than never do it. In hopes of changing this, I’ve been researching how to be more “aware” of what I eat and how I eat. After my last article on eating disorders, I came across the concept of Conscious Eating or Mindful Eating and thought it’s only fitting that I share it with you all. Conscious eating is an awareness of the eating experience. It is a concept that is based on Zen Buddhism and asks us to be conscious of our surroundings and inter processes as we eat.

To consciously eat means also understanding your hunger cues and being aware of when you’re satisfied. It has less to do with the aggressive dieting culture of calculating calories. It’s not focused on losing weight. It’s more of a journey on how to be aware of the food on your plate. Nonetheless, those who adopt this lifestyle will most likely lose weight in the process. It is process-oriented not outcome driven. Regular diets will tell you what to eat, when, and how to eat. Conscious eating will allow you to experience a healthier relationship with food. You’ll do that while knowing what you put into your body in a given moment.

To practise conscious eating, you should put away your devices or stay away from the twelve while you eat. You should be able to cook/prepare the correct portion sizes for your meals. You should sit down as you eat. As you eat a meal, being consciously aware of what you’re doing can make you understand when you’ve had enough to eat. By being process-oriented, conscious eating doesn’t allow you to be preoccupied with the outcome of the experience. It gives you a more positive and efficient attitude towards the things you put your mind to. We all must have a better relationship with food. Many of us have a love/hate relationship with food. An unhealthy relationship with food leaves you hating to love food, or you loving to hate food.

A better relationship with food allows you to put thought into what you put into your body. Ask yourself, “how will this benefit my body?” the next time you think about putting too much sugar, fat or carbs into your body. I am developing a habit of always asking myself, “will this help my body, or will this harm it?”. I encourage you to do the same if conscious eating is something you’d like to practise.

You should also learn how to appreciate the journey, not dread it. Too often we’re focused on what happens at the end of a journey instead of taking time to slow down and appreciate the experiences, knowledge and insight we’ve gained on said journey. There will be days when you’ll probably relapse. It’s normal for most people when you’re going through a lifestyle change. Nonetheless, that shouldn’t discourage you. Simply get up and don’t be afraid to start all over again. If you make conscious eating a habit, then it becomes instinctual—it’s never too late to reprogramme your mind, especially if it’s to benefit your overall well-being.