Eat on a fancy plate!
I love this tip for turning an everyday meal into a celebration. Creating a colorful and appetizing plate of food and reveling in the joy of cooking and eating are ways to practice mindful eating. Studies suggest that the health benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet, which includes plenty of vegetables, olive oil, and seafood, are likely to be enhanced by the tendency of people in the region to enjoy and savor their food longer. turn every meal into a celebration with friends and family.
No more multitasking while eating.
Many readers have found that they have a habit of looking at their phones, reading, working, or watching TV while eating. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying your food while watching the Super Bowl or during family movie night, the best way to achieve mindful eating is when your focus is on food.
“My biggest moment yet: slowing down and really being present while eating,” shared one reader. “I put my phone or book somewhere else and just focus on the taste, smell, texture and look of my food. I enjoy food much more when I taste it!”
Put down the fork.
Several readers shared this tip and noted that once they became more mindful of their eating habits, they noticed that they had a tendency to pick up a new food fork before they even finished chewing. Learning to put down their fork between bites helped them focus on the taste and texture of their food, rather than the next bite. A consistent theme I’ve heard from readers is that mindful eating also helped them slow down at the table and made them realize how quickly they had been gobbling up their food, a habit they often learned in childhood.
Use smaller plates.
Several readers have told us that using smaller plates has helped them serve smaller portions and tune in to their body’s hunger and fullness signals. With smaller plates, seconds are still an option if you’re still hungry.
“American dinnerware is huge and it’s so easy to fill your plate,” shared one reader. “Many of us were also trained by our parents to clean our plates, so we don’t stop eating when we’re full.”
Never buy groceries if you are hungry.
Paying attention to hunger cues helped readers realize that it’s best not to buy food when you’re hungry. Studies show that when people shop on an empty stomach, they don’t buy more food, they buy higher calorie, less healthy food. This happens because our brains are more reactive to “rewarding” sweet and salty foods when we’re hungry.
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