Editor’s note: Holly Bertone, a certified holistic health coach based in Chambersburg, is offering readers an 8-part series with tips on avoiding holiday overeating. After the series, she’ll offer a weekly set of health pointers.
If you’ve ever heard that mindfulness is the key to controlling emotional eating, you might feel frustrated when it doesn’t seem to work. The idea of slowing down and savoring every bite sounds simple, but for many, it doesn’t address the underlying reasons behind overeating. There’s a key reason why traditional mindful eating often falls short, and there’s a different approach to mindfulness that you can take that will actually make a difference.
The problem with traditional mindful eating
Mindful eating is typically described as paying attention to your food, eating slowly and savoring every bite. While these strategies may help you feel more present, they don’t address the root causes of emotional eating. Emotional eating often stems from stress, boredom, loneliness or other emotional triggers – not just hunger.
Imagine being at a holiday gathering, surrounded by festive treats. You decide to eat mindfully, savoring every bite of a brownie. Before you know it, you’ve eaten several brownies and feel overwhelmed with guilt. The issue isn’t that you weren’t mindful; it’s that mindfulness, as it’s often taught, doesn’t tackle the emotional drivers behind the urge to overeat.
Digging deeper: Mindfulness as self-awareness
To truly overcome emotional eating, mindfulness needs to go beyond the surface. Real mindfulness involves building self-awareness – the understanding of what’s happening in your mind and body before, during and after you reach for food.
For example, instead of simply recognizing that you’re craving chocolate, ask yourself why. Are you stressed from a long day? Feeling lonely? Looking for a reward? When you uncover the reason behind the craving, you can address it in a meaningful way rather than just slowing down as you eat.
A study by Harvard (source) found that mindfulness meditation, focusing on self-awareness, significantly improved participants’ ability to regulate emotions and stress. This deeper understanding helps individuals recognize their triggers and respond in ways that meet their emotional needs without relying on food.
The difference between mindful and intuitive eating
It’s also helpful to distinguish between mindful eating and intuitive eating. While mindful eating focuses on awareness during the act of eating, intuitive eating emphasizes tuning into your body’s signals to decide what and when to eat. Both approaches can work together, but neither should ignore the underlying emotions that lead to cravings.
A balanced approach
To be clear, slowing down and savoring meals is recommended because it does have its benefits. Research shows it can improve digestion and enhance meal satisfaction. But to truly conquer emotional eating, a holistic approach is needed – one that combines mindfulness with strategies to address emotional triggers and build sustainable habits.
Moving forward with intention
Imagine walking into a holiday gathering, surrounded by tempting foods, and feeling completely in control. Instead of being pulled by automatic urges, you’re in tune with what your body truly needs. This is the goal of mindfulness as self-awareness – not just eating slowly, but eating with intention and understanding.
While building this level of awareness takes time and effort, the benefits are worth it. During a season filled with distractions and temptations, developing a clear strategy for mindful choices can help you feel empowered rather than restricted.
Takeaway
True mindfulness is about more than slowing down at mealtime—it’s about understanding the emotional and psychological factors behind your eating habits. By addressing these root causes, you can break free from cycles of emotional eating and make choices that support your well-being.
