Many of us tend to eat in a rush, or while focused on other things. Often, we don’t even taste our food, and so we end up eating more than we need. Because of this, mindful eating has recently become a popular weight loss practice. Rather than the severe restraints of traditional dieting, mindful eating makes you more aware of what you are putting in your mouth and when you feel full.

This exercise will not only continue to build neural pathways that support focused attention and presence, but it will also make eating more enjoyable. As someone with a sweet tooth, I’ve found it helps me savour sweets more slowly and leaves me feeling more satisfied with one piece of chocolate, rather than wanting to eat an entire block!

You can do this with any piece of food (there is an eating meditation that is traditionally done with a raisin), but you may like to try it with a piece of chocolate - preferably dark chocolate, as it’s healthier than milk chocolate and has more depth of flavour.

Put the piece of chocolate in your palm and imagine you have never eaten this food before.

Move through each of your senses, tuning in completely to all the information you can take in through each sense.

Sight: Notice all the colours, shapes, shadows and light.

Touch: Holding the chocolate in your hand, notice its weight, firmness, edges, dryness or moisture.

Taste: Place the chocolate in your mouth and don’t chew. Instead, move it around your mouth and sense the flavour. Start eating the chocolate very slowly, while staying completely attentive to your sense of taste. Notice where you sense the flavours – is it at the back of the tongue or the front? Notice what side of your mouth you habitually chew on.

As you move through the practice, notice any thoughts that arise, and when you notice you’ve been caught in thinking, just let go of the thoughts and come back to whatever sense you are exploring.

Share what you notice when practising mindful eating in the Facebook group or on Instagram.