SPT-Fall2014

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Please direct all inquires to Pilar Llobregat at iiba.spain@bioenergeticanalysis.com. Somatic Psychotherapy Today | Fall 2014 | Volume 4 Number 2 | page 84
Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with Food. Written by Susan Albers, PsyD Reviewed by: Mona Zohny In Buddhism, mindfulness is one of the factors of enlightenment. Recently, positive psychologists have begun to explore this concept in the context of physical and mental health. Albers’s second edition of Eating Mindfully is structured the same as the first and builds on information previously provided. The book’s purpose, however, goes beyond helping people with eating disorders—it contains dozens of tips to address mindless eating habits by increasing mindful thinking and mindful behaviors. Mindfulness is described as being present and aware from moment to moment. Eating mindfully involves being aware of the taste and texture of food, the physical process of eating, the physical sensations of hunger and fullness, and the emotions involved. The book starts off by answering common questions about mindful eating. Albers also provides a summary of the five types of mindless eaters: the occasional mindless eater (new to the second edition), the chronic mindless dieter, the mindless overeater, and the mindless chaotic eater. She provides a list of attributes for each category that allows readers to figure out what type of mindless eater they are. Albers believes that everyone is guilty of mindless eating at some point, and she emphasizes that progress is more significant than perfection. It is more important to control the present moment than it is to focus on the past or future. In a time when many people have busy, fast-paced lives, often eating meals while they work, this book reminds us of the importance of slowing down and using our senses to actually enjoy meals. The rest of the book is divided into five parts. The first part is about the mindfulness of the mind. This involves being present and aware of all five senses when one eats. Albers points out that doing so will allow one to feel more pleasure while eating and be able to stay in control. She also discusses the idea of letting go of food restrictions and categorizing foods as being good or bad. The second part is about the mindfulness of the body. This means paying attention to the signs of hunger in order to distinguish between emotional and physical hunger. It also involves paying attention to one’s physical motions while eating. The author explores self -acceptance of one’s past, present, and future bodies. Albers recommends meditation and breathing exercises to train oneself to remain in the moment. She also explores the idea of fine tuning one’s taste buds. The third part discusses the mindfulness of the feelings. This involves figuring out the emotional triggers that cause mindless eating as well as dealing with negative feelings regarding one’s weight. It also encourages readers to think about how relationships can affect their eating habits and even provides tips on how to eat mindfully around others, especially during the holidays. The fourth part is about the mindfulness of the thoughts. Albers discusses the dangers of “mindless thinking” that includes overgeneralizing an outcome, overstating things or ignoring significant information (p. 202). She recommends planning meals in order to avoid emotional eating. Albers also explores the idea of the “inner food critic” and how to silence the voice that shouts judgmental remarks at you about your food choices (p. 219). The fifth part is new to this edition and serves as a review. It consists of a detailed checklist with all of the tips for mindful eating that Albers covers throughout the book. The author also provides several different scenarios emotional eaters can find themselves in and ways to handle the situation mindfully. Every chapter of this book provides readers with exercises called skill builders that keep them engaged. Some of these skill builders require the reader to keep a food diary. Others simply require a mental task. Albers recommends reading the whole book before starting these exercises. She provides many different types of skill builders so there is something for everybody. Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with Food is a comprehensive and engaging guide to eating mindfully. It can be used by almost anyone who wants to learn how to be more present and aware in their eating habits and daily lives in general. This book focuses on the readers and their experiences, while Albers also provides relatable examples from her own clients. The skill builders provided allow the reader to apply the concepts discussed to their lives. Somatic Psychotherapy Today | Fall 2014 | Volume 4 Number 2 | page 85
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