Mindful Eating

Something that helps when trying to lose and maintain our weight is being mindful while we eat.  This sounds like common sense, but these days many of us are incredibly busy which lends to multitasking.  However, if you are distracted while you are eating it is likely you will overeat as you are not focusing on the food in front of you.  Here are some tips to help get you started!

• Focus on the experience of eating so that you enjoy your food more and eat slower.
• Pay attention to your body’s hunger signals so you know when and how much you need to eat.
• Mentally and physically prepare yourself before you eat.

Here are some tips for applying the principles of mindful eating to your life:

• Drink plenty of water. Drinking water before a meal will help you feel full sooner and avoid overeating. Drinking water after a meal may keep you from going back for seconds.
• Listen to your body. Rather than eating because it’s mealtime, wait until you actually feel hungry to eat. Also, stop eating as soon as you stop feeling hungry, not when you feel full.
• Take small bites. When you take large bites, less of the food ends up on your tongue and you deprive yourself of the chance to savor and enjoy it, which often leads to overeating.
• Avoid distractions. Watching TV or using the computer while you eat takes your attention off your eating and encourages mindless eating. However, engaging in conversation with a friend or family member can slow down your eating and put you back in control. You may want to try eating with chopsticks or with your non-dominant hand to force yourself to slow down and think about your eating!
• Focus on the food. Pay close attention to the way your food tastes, smells, and feels in your mouth. If you’re eating food that you didn’t prepare yourself, try and guess what flavors or spices you taste. You’ll find that this may help you enjoy your food more so that you need less of it to feel satisfied.