Life is complex, so our brains go into autopilot when carrying out routine tasks like brushing teeth and eating.

Eating in autopilot is a shame because we can miss out on a lot of the joy which food can bring. It can also lead to over-eating because we’re no longer listening to the hunger signals from our body.

Mindful eating is about getting out of autopilot and focusing your attention on what you’re eating, without judgement.

Mindful eating is not about diets and food restrictions – it’s about eating the foods that you really want to eat, but only when you’re hungry.

If you crave food, but find that the food doesn’t really satisfy you, it may be that you’re eating in order to cover up an emotion you’d rather not deal with, such as stress, anxiety or sadness.

Mindful eating is about looking again at foods you’ve started to take for granted – as though you’re seeing, smelling and tasting them for the first time.