Mindful Eating after Weight Loss Surgery

After weight loss surgery, your stomach’s capacity will be greatly reduced, and as such, you’ll be eating much smaller portions. Mindful eating is the act of being completely and intently aware of what you eat and how you eat it. It can help you to feel full with less food and enhance your overall enjoyment of a meal. Practicing mindful eating can be useful in easing the transition to having to eat smaller portions after weight loss surgery.

How to Practice Mindful Eating

Many people go into a sort of “autopilot” mode when they eat. You sit down with a meal, put on the TV, and before you know it, the meal is gone and you aren’t sure how. That’s called mindless eating, and you’ll want to avoid it if at all possible after weight loss surgery. Here’s how to eat mindfully:

• Try to eat distraction-free. Turning off the TV can help you focus more on your meal and the act of eating.
• Chew slowly. Savor every bite and really get a feel for the texture and taste of your food.
• Slow down. Try to take at least twenty minutes for full meals.
• Put down the cutlery. This physical act can help you slow down the pace of your meal. Try leaving your silverware on the plate until you’ve finished chewing and are ready to take another bite.

Benefits of Mindful Eating

Each meal or healthy snack throughout the day can benefit from having a mindful approach taken to it. Some of the health benefits of mindful eating include:

• Knowing when you’re full sooner.
• Feeling satisfied with less food.
• Reduce chances of over-eating.
• Improved digestion.

Where bariatric surgery physically limits the amount food you can eat, mindful eating helps you mentally limit it. Used in conjunction with moderate daily physical activity, both bariatric surgery and mindful eating can be incredibly useful tools in helping you reach your weight loss goals.