Being’s latest publication, Mindful Food, is an exploration of how mindfulness enhances your relationship with food. We draw on the latest science and advice from passionate experts to support your mindful journey with food, and how this will reflect more broadly on being mindful in everyday life. A famous adage suggests that how you do anything is how you do everything, so if we heed this advice then the more mindful and intuitive you become with food, the more mindful and intuitive you become with life.
Definitions of mindful eating
Editor’s letter
Introduction • “Nourishment is more than a bowl of soup; it is the sensation of being cherished and sustained. It comes from the way you feel inside your home, or the way an intimate friend sees and hears you fully. But it starts with a bowl of soup, because that is the simplest and most satisfying way for your cup to be filled.”
Calm
What is mindful eating? • “Mindful eating is about awareness. When you eat mindfully, you slow down, pay attention to the food you’re eating, and savour every bite.”
What is intuitive eating? • “Intuitive eating is about making peace with food. It’s about learning how to listen to your body and how to honour your hunger.”
Importance of mindful and intuitive eating • “Intuitive eating and mindfulness are two relatively new intervention approaches that have been effective in supporting healthy eating and body image.”
Ease
Calm in the kitchen • Jenny Lomas is a mindful and intuitive eating chef. She moved from London to New Zealand in 2011 and has held head chef positions at several of New Zealand’s most respected retreat venues. She is the founder of Te Whenua Retreat in Gibbston Valley, Otago, where she offers plant-focused cooking retreats with a Zen-inspired flavour.
Being mindful with food • Kaitlin McManus is a mindful and intuitive eating expert and clinical psychologist. She enjoys supporting people on their paths to healing from difficulties relating to body image, disordered eating and eating disorders by helping them to cultivate a more compassionate relationship with food, their bodies and themselves.
Your relationship with food • “Instead of thinking of food as the enemy, allow yourself to enjoy the process of planning and preparing meals or going out to lunch with a friend. Stay in the present moment and understand that the purpose of food is nourishment.”
How to practise mindful eating • “When walking, walk. When eating, eat.”
How to practise intuitive eating • “To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”
Practices that support mindful and intuitive eating • “As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.”
Grounded
Mindful eating journalling • Journalling is a profound practice for contemplation and reflection and is a powerful agent for growth. It helps us become aware of what is going on for us physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically, and it provides the space for us to process our experiences.
Intuitive eating journalling • Journalling is a powerful tool for personal development, as it helps you to become self-aware. It allows you to connect with your experiences physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically, and provides the space for you to cultivate insight and clarity.
Mindful Foods