nosh magazine
THE POWER OF
MINDFUL EATING
Fiona Sutherland helps you understand mindful eating.
Plus you can WIN a set of Body Positive Inspiration Cards!
he concept of ‘mindfulness’ is very
‘now.’ Essentially, mindfulness refers
to bringing awareness into the present
moment – body sensations, thoughts and
emotions – without judgement. I specialise
in a branch of mindfulness called ‘mindful
eating,’ which essentially invites you to
create present moment awareness of your
experiences around food and eating, that
are free from criticism or judgement.
T
Mindful eating is definitely not like a diet,
plan or program. There is no ‘right’ way of
eating, but moreso it provides an opportunity
to find the best way of eating to suit you
– and all foods are welcome! If mindful
eating is connected to weight loss (for
example, someone making the claim that
mindful eating will lead to weight loss) then,
by definition, it’s not actually mindful eating
because you’re attaching an outcome to the
behaviour, rather than engaging in it from a
place of curiosity, compassion and respect.
Mindful eating creates opportunities to
become more aware of the ways you can
have more positive interactions with foods
that help you take care of yourself. You can
become more attuned with the process of
food selection and preparation by gaining
insight and respect for your own inner
wisdom, your ability to listen to what your
body truly needs at any one time. You can
use all your senses to engage with the foods
you choose, creating more pleasurable
experiences, and giving yourself
opportunities to stop eating when you’ve
had enough rather than finishing it just
because it’s there or for other reasons such
as habit (e.g., ‘finish everything on your
plate or you won’t get dessert’). In this day
and age of oversized portions, this can set
you up for accidental overeating. You can
WIN!
See p2 for entry
details to win a set
of Body Inspiration
Cards from Body
Positive Australia
acknowledge your responses to food (such as likes and dislikes) in
a curious, non-judgemental way, and find new ways to nourish
your body that match your needs.
The part of mindful eating that I love the most is that it can open up
a space to enjoy a whole new relationship with food, eating and your
body. It provides you with an opportunity to pay close attention to
the wisdom of your body rather than the judgmental and critical
voice in your head. It helps you find space to calm yourself as you
prepare a meal, and again before you begin to eat so you can be fully
present, both with your food and with others at the table.
As you become more mindful, you might begin to notice habitual
thoughts, attitudes and moods that might lead you to turn to food
at times when you’re not really hungry. You might notice that you
feel like you can never get enough food. With more mindfulness
you might begin to explore other issues that might be bothering
you, such as how you deal with stress, overwhelming emotions, or
your relationship with your body. Through the development of
mindful eating skills, you can slow down, bringing yourself into
the present moment and calm yourself down enough to notice
what might be there that you’re not paying attention to. You are
able to savour your food so that you can eat like a food expert,
stopping when your body is satisfied.
Want to get started?
If you’re new to mindful eating, I would suggest delving into a few
books. My top picks are Dr Rick Kausman’s If Not Dieting, Then What?,
Susan Albers Eating Mindfully, Dr Michelle May’s Eating What You
Love, Love What You Eat, or Evelyn Tribole’s Intuitive Eating.
From there, I recommend that you keep an eating awareness or
hunger/fullness journal of some description (note: this is NOT a
food diary or a way of turning mindful eating into a diet). You can
track meals (times, location), how hungry you feel before a meal,
then how full you feel after a meal. You can download a copy of a
page here to get started!
Mindful eating is an investment in your health and wellbeing. It’s a
wonderful way to eat in a way that meets the needs of your body
and mind, and you’ll discover all kinds of things that, if you can
stay away from judgement and remain curious, are really
interesting! I wish you all the best on your mindful eating
journey... enjoy your food! N
FIONA SUTHERLAND, APD
Learn more at: website | profile
Fiona is the co-founder of Body Positive Australia, where she uses her passion for health and
wellbeing, to help teach people how to live a full, rich life where they are at peace with food,
eating and their body. She also runs therapy groups, yoga courses, yoga and wellness retreats,
consultations, workshops, and counselling