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4 reasons why mindful eating may not be the answer to weight loss

Mindful eating for weight loss (MEWL) emphasizes awareness of one's hunger and fullness sensations. Mindfulness, derived from mindful meditation, means paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgment.

Mindfulness-based interventions have enjoyed considerable popularity recently, and have been applied as a form of treatment for conditions such as anxiety and depression, with moderate success. Now, many claim that mindful eating is the key to weight loss.

Yet, there's reason for skepticism.

1.  There is no evidence of long-term effectiveness for weight loss.

Research on MEWL is ongoing, but thus far, there is:

  1. Limited and weak evidence that it improves eating habits,

  2. No evidence that increases in mindfulness are associated with corresponding decreases in weight, and

  3. No evidence that it results in long-term weight loss. Long-term weight outcomes are key, as many diet programs can result in short-lived weight loss.

2.  Our "mental processing" resources have a limit.

In a classic experiment, researchers randomly assigned people to two groups. In one group, each person was briefly shown a 2-digit number and told they'd need to recall it later; in the other group, people were given the same instructions, but shown a 7-digit number.

While they were all concentrating on keeping their number in their "working memory," they were spontaneously offered a choice of snack. Who made the most indulgent snack choices? The participants concentrating on the 7-digit number. Those concentrating on the 2-digit number, however, made healthier snack choices.

Sometimes, we're just too mentally taxed to deliberate over one more thing. We're prone to "decision fatigue." (Sound familiar?) Now consider that we make more than 200 eating-related decisions per day, every day.

Given that we're all going to have "7-digit" days, is the expectation that we'll make rational eating choices, and be ever vigilant for hunger and satiety signals, even feasible?

I'm not convinced that it is. To paraphrase researcher and fellow psychologist, Brian Wansink, Ph.D., "In an ideal world, we'd all eat mindfully all the time. But most of us don't have the luxury of cutting a pea in half, savoring it, laying down our forks, and then pausing to ask ourselves, 'Am I full yet?'"

3.  Mindful…of what?

Must eating necessarily be of primary importance for one's attention in any given moment? Is it possible to make mindless eating choices while being completely present, in the moment, and mindful…in a delightful dinner conversation with old friends? While the recommendation is to avoid eating when you're distracted, it's not always possible.

Eating, unlike meditation, is often a deeply social act.

4.  The finger wag.

Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to lose weight can be demoralizing and counterproductive. If MEWL is working for you, great! But if you've tried MEWL and it hasn't worked for you, you're not alone.

There's another important consideration. If, in fact, MEWL is not sustainable long-term for most people, there is the risk that individuals, particularly those affected by obesity, may be subjected to more "blame and shame" for "failing" to lose weight and keep it off.

The danger is that "Just eat more mindfully!" could become the new "Just eat less and exercise more!" finger wag.  For those who have struggled with obesity, both messages can be insensitive, unfair, and potentially patronizing.

An alternative

Here's a practical and research-based alternative: Aspire to eat mindfully, expect to eat mindlessly.

In theory, hunger drives eating. In reality, however, the environment generally influences what, and how much we eat, more so than any internal sensations of hunger and fullness. "We eat with our eyes, not our stomachs." So, why not focus on manipulating our immediate surroundings so that our mindless choices are more likely to be healthy ones?

In my next column, I'll provide some evidence-based strategies to do exactly that.

Stacey C. Cahn, PhD is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She specializes in eating disorders, obesity, body image and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

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