When we sit down to a meal by ourselves or with friends, it’s easy to zone out and disconnect from our bodies. But, when we don’t practice mindful eating, it’s too easy to overeat or make choices we don’t really want to make.
If you approach a meal with the intent to stay mindful and present, you will be able to enjoy yourself and walk away from the table feeling good about yourself and your choices.
Tips for Mindful Eating
Choose for yourself: Do not get hung up on what other people are eating. Instead, ask yourself what you would like to eat.
Forget about good and bad: Remind yourself that foods fall on a nutritional continuum (high value/low value), not on a moral continuum (good/bad).
Stay clear of guilt or shame: Refrain from allowing guilt or shame to contaminate your eating decisions. Avoid secret eating and get clear on who you are really hiding from if you eat in secret.
Choose foods that you like: Do not eat foods that you do not find satisfying or enjoyable. Eating that way will make you feel like you are on a diet.
Eat with awareness and enjoyment: Before you eat, look at your food, its portion size, and presentation. Breathe deeply. Look again before taking a mouthful.
Chew every mouthful: Chewing a lot helps to thoroughly release the flavor of foods. Let food sit on your tongue. This allows your taste buds to absorb the flavor and transmit messages about your appetite to your brain.
Talk or eat: When you are talking, stop eating. When you are eating, stop talking.
Stay connected: Pay attention to your body’s appetite signals while you are eating.
Pause while you are eating: Think about how you are feeling about your food in terms of quality and quantity.
Know when to stop eating: Stop eating when flavor intensity declines, as it is bound to do. Do not try to polish off all of the food in front of you. Instead, aim for the moment when flavor peaks and you feel an internal “ah” of satisfaction—then stop.
Evaluate how full you are: Keep asking yourself while you are eating, “Am I still hungry?” and “Am I satisfied?”
Stopping when you are content or satisfied: Think of “content” as having enough food (fuel) in your stomach and “satisfied” as reaching the high point of pleasure.
Quantify fullness and satisfaction: Use words, such as “nearly full,” “too full,” or “just right,” or a 1-10 scale to rate fullness and satisfaction.
Tell your body: When you feel just right or satisfied, focus on that sensation, and broadcast it to your whole body.
Disconnect from food: When you are done eating, put down your utensils, push away your plate, and get up, if possible. If you are a buffet, physically move away from the table. If you can’t for some reason, at least mentally move on. Do whatever you need to do to disconnect yourself from the food.
Decide when enough is enough: Make sure you do not focus on food that is left in front of you. Recognize that you do not have to finish it or clean your plate.
But the most important thing to remember is IT’S JUST FOOD. It doesn’t have any magical powers to make you feel better, solve your problems or create more fun.
If you’re ready to take control of your eating and get your power back from food, schedule your free call with me now.
