7 Tips to Help You Eat Mindfully
Our society has become so out of touch with what we eat and how we feel. It’s hard to be aware and in tune with our bodies because of all the behaviors and messages we are taught. We’re taught messages like “Half your plate should be fruits and veggies,” “You need to finish everything on your plate before you have dessert,” “Eat what you take,” “Finish all your food before you leave the table”. We’re surrounded by fast food, our schedules are crazy busy because being busy is praised, and we have a hard time doing one thing at a time, always having to be on our phones or watching a show or listening to music while we clean, eat, drive, etc. All these things have caused us to be mindless around food (and a lot of other things). Here are a few tips to help you regain that mindfulness around food and be more aware of your body and how it feels when you eat.
Eat at the table. Not at the couch in front of the TV, not in the car as you’re running back and forth between errands, not on your bed watching TikTok on your phone. Eat at the table. Eating at the table is more intentional - kitchen tables are meant for eating. Sit down with your food on a plate and a drink and eat there until you’re finished.
Eliminate distractions. We’re constantly on our phones scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, watching a show, or playing games. Driving in the car with music on and having your hands on the wheel navigating and watching your maps. We’re constantly distracted and it can be hard to be in tune with your body’s hunger and fullness cues and satisfaction levels when you’re doing other things. Sit at the table and put away your phone or turn off that show you’re watching. Instead of grabbing food on the go, make some time to eat dinner at home before you leave. Distractions keep you out of touch with your body.
Think about your senses. What does the food smell like? Is it a strong aroma or slight? What’s the temperature of the food? Is it hot or cold? Should it be hot or cold? What is the texture like? Is it chewy, crunchy, grainy, smooth, soft, hard… is it appealing? What does the food look like? Does it look nice or does it look boring?
Think about how your body feels before, during, and after the meal. How hungry are you? What sensations do you feel? Is your stomach growling, is food just starting to sound good, or are you hangry and tired? How does the food make you feel? Does it give you more energy? Does it make you tired and lethargic? How do you feel when you’re finishing up? Are you stuffed and uncomfortable? Are you comfortable and content? Did you notice your body gradually feeling more full as you moved through the meal?
Notice your emotions. What kinds of emotions are you feeling? Are you feeling happy, sad, stressed, angry? Does anxiety and stress make you eat more or less? Is eating a coping mechanism? Does food cheer you up? That’s okay if it does, food is definitely tied to emotions. If you notice certain negative feelings, try using some coping skills.
Be grateful for your food. Many people don’t have access to the kinds of foods we do and as quick as we are able to get them.
Slow down. This doesn’t mean take a whole minute to chew one bite of food. It just means to take time to notice all the things listed above and to really enjoy your food. Often we take a bite, chew, and take another bite while we’re still chewing our first bite. We eat fast because we have places to be and things to do. Make eating a priority and think of it as an experience. ENJOY the experience.
Practicing mindfulness when you eat can definitely take practice but it will really help you improve your relationship with food and trust your body because you’ll actually KNOW how to listen to it and recognize what it’s telling you!
For more help, schedule a free call with our dietitians here!