Not having lunch at your desk and switching off the TV while eating could be the key to losing weight, says new study.
Researchers from the University of North Carolina analysed data from 80 people who said they were ready to lose weight at the start of the study.
The results showed that, after 15 weeks, those in the mindful group had lost 1.9kg compared with 0.3kg for participants in the control group.
A key part of mindful eating is concentrating on the food on your plate, chewing for longer and enjoying meals at a slower pace.
Followers are also encouraged to eat without any disruptions, such as chatting, checking emails or watching TV.
Experts claim this makes it easier for people to recognise when they are full, and consume less.
Lead researcher Dr Carolyn Dunn, from North Carolina State University, said: “Mindful eating is eating with purpose, eating on purpose, eating with awareness, eating without distraction.
“When eating only eating – not watching television or playing computer games or having any other distractions, not eating at our desks or replying to emails.
“People did increase their mindfulness and they did absolutely decrease their weight.” None of those in the trial were asked to change their diet.
But by concentrating on what they were eating, they gradually ate less.
Participants were also encouraged to only have a couple of bites of their favourite junk food, such as puddings, and slowly savour them.
Dr Dunn added: “We instructed people to eat the foods they love, and not give them up, but to eat them in a mindful way.
“We would tell them to eat one or two bites, but to eat those one or two bites with awareness, so they are getting the most pleasure out of those one to two bites.
“Those first two bites are associated with the most enjoyment – eating more will certainly give you more calories but not more enjoyment.”
Mindfulness – dubbed “meditation-lite” – has become increasing popular and involves focusing on the moment and embracing your inner zen.
Other leading experts warned eating while stressed triggers weight-gain.
Professor Hermann Toplak, President of European Society of Obesity, encouraged Brits to relax before dinner.
He said: “Reducing stress before eating is one of the most important things. If you have stress in your job, don’t go [straight] home for dinner.
“You have to reduce your stress levels before – walk or do something restful – then you will eat differently.
“If you are eating out from your stress and that’s very frequent today – especially in cities like London where people are so busy – then you eat quicker, fatter and sweeter.
“And if you reduce stress levels you will eat salad, you will eat vegetables, because you are in the mood to eat things like that also.”
Kuondoa chakula cha mchana kwenye dawati lako la kazi na kuzima TV wakati wa kula inaweza kuwa ufunguo wa kupoteza uzito, utafiti mpya unasema. Watafiti kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha North Carolina walichunguza data kutoka kwa watu 80 ambao walisema walikuwa tayari kupoteza uzito mwanzoni mwa utafiti. Baada ya wiki 15, washiriki wa kikundi cha Mindful walipoteza kilo 1.9 ikilinganishwa na washiriki wa kikundi cha kudhibiti walipoteza kilo 0.3. Sehemu muhimu ya kula kwa uangalifu ni kuzingatia chakula kwenye sahani yako, kutafuna kwa muda mrefu na kufurahia chakula kwa kasi ya polepole. Wafuasi pia wanahimizwa kula bila usumbufu wowote, kama vile kuzungumza, kuangalia barua pepe au kutazama TV. Wataalamu wanadai kwamba hii inafanya iwe rahisi kwa watu kutambua wakati wao ni kamili, na kula kidogo. "Mtaalamu wa afya Carolyn Dunn, kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha North Carolina, alisema: ""Kula kwa makini ni kula kwa kusudi, kula kwa kusudi, kula kwa ufahamu, kula bila kuingiliwa." Kula tu kula  si kuangalia televisheni au kucheza michezo ya kompyuta au kuwa na distractions nyingine yoyote, si kula katika dawati letu au kujibu barua pepe. "Watu waliongeza ufahamu wao na walipunguza uzito wao kabisa. ""Hakuna yeyote kati ya wale katika jaribio aliulizwa kubadilisha mlo wao. Lakini kwa kukazia fikira kile walichokula, hatua kwa hatua walikula kidogo. Washiriki pia walitiwa moyo kula kidogo tu ya vyakula vyao vya kupendeza, kama vile pudding, na kuvifurahia polepole. Dk Dunn aliongeza: "Tuliwaagiza watu kula vyakula wanavyopenda, na si kuzikataa, lakini kuzila kwa njia ya kuzingatia. Tungewaambia kula kijiko kimoja au viwili, lakini kula kijiko hicho au viwili kwa ufahamu, ili wapate raha zaidi kutoka kwa kijiko hicho au viwili. "Kula zaidi hakika kutakupa kalori zaidi lakini sio furaha zaidi. ""Mindfulness"" inayoitwa ""meditation-lite"" imekuwa maarufu zaidi na inajumuisha kuzingatia wakati huu na kukumbatia zen yako ya ndani." Wataalamu wengine mashuhuri walionya kwamba kula wakati wa mfadhaiko husababisha kuongezeka kwa uzito. Profesa Hermann Toplak, Rais wa Shirika la Ulaya la Uzito, aliwatia moyo Waingereza wapumzike kabla ya chakula cha jioni. Alisema: "Kupunguza mkazo kabla ya kula ni mojawapo ya mambo muhimu zaidi. Ikiwa una mkazo kazini, usiende moja kwa moja nyumbani kwa ajili ya chakula cha jioni. <unk>Lazima kupunguza viwango vya mkazo wako kabla <unk>kutembea au kufanya kitu kupumzika <unk> basi utakula tofauti. <unk>Kama wewe ni kula nje ya mafadhaiko yako na kwamba <unk> ni mara nyingi sana leo <unk> hasa katika miji kama London ambapo watu ni hivyo busy <unk> basi wewe kula haraka, mafuta na tamu. <unk>Na kama kupunguza viwango vya mkazo wewe kula saladi, wewe kula mboga, kwa sababu wewe ni katika mood ya kula mambo kama kwamba pia.<unk>