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Mindful Eating & Nutrition: An Overview

When was the last time you prepared a meal that included just what you wanted to eat, ate until you were satisfied, and completely savored and enjoyed the experience without guilt?

Mindful eating takes the approach that meals and snacks are an opportunity to be consciously present and savor the mealtime experience. For many people, mindful eating leads to greater health, pleasure, and satisfaction while decreasing the tendency to overeat. The mindful-eating approach can also help compulsive or emotional eaters become more in tune with their bodies’ needs and regain control over their eating behavior.

A mindful-eating approach goes hand in hand with balanced nutrition. When you pay attention to your body and how it processes food, you discover which foods make you feel the most energetic, healthy, and strong. A nutritious diet also fuels the body mentally, improving your concentration and ability to retain information.

Getting Started

Mindful eating retrains the brain and the body to have an intuitive sense of hunger and satisfaction and to develop a balanced and joyful relationship with food. Learning to eat mindfully is a lifelong process that varies under different conditions, such as changes in stress levels, health states, and age. Don’t beat yourself up if you struggle occasionally with mindful eating and nutrition. Just remember that you’re only one meal away from regaining your body’s equilibrium. Here are a few tips to get started:

  • Eat at least three times a day. Aim for a balanced combination of carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fat every time you eat.
  • Try to take five more minutes than normal to eat your food. Notice some aspect of what you are eating—the color, texture, aroma, or taste.
  • The next time you have a desire for a particular food, get the best quality version of that food you can afford—whole grain, locally grown, all-natural, or organic.
  • Read the hunger scale, and before your next meal or snack, ask yourself, “How hungry am I? How do I know I’m hungry? What cues is my body sending me?”
  • Start a mindful eating journal. Record your meals as well as your hunger level and emotional state while eating.

MIT Can Help

MIT Medical offers several resources to help you integrate mindful eating and nutrition into your life, including:

Wellness classes: The Center for Health Promotion & Wellness sponsors health and wellness classes throughout the year.

Health consultations: If you’d like advice on improving your nutrition habits, consider making an appointment with staff from the Center for Health Promotion and Wellness. Consultations are available in-person or over the phone.

Information and Education: The Center for Health Promotion & Wellness has compiled a number of pamphlets and articles that you can view online (below) or pick up in room E23-205. The Center’s Multimedia Library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Eating Well: On and Off Campus

On campus

Off campus

Eating for Balance: Maintaining or losing weight

Mindful Eating

Eating and Performance: Athletic and Academic

Mindful Eating

For more information on mindful eating, check out the following web sites:

Go Ask Alice!
Mayo Clinic.com
Medline Plus Health Information
National Women’s Health Information Center
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The Center for Mindful Eating

Center for Health Promotion & Wellness

E23-205
617-253-1316
M–F, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
healthed@med.mit.edu


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