The more you practice with mindful eating, the easier and more natural it will become. But if you’re just getting started, try these mindful eating tips and techniques to help you maintain focus on the right things and stop getting distracted away from the experience.
1. Stop Eating in Front of the TV
Firstly, avoid any unnecessary noise or distractions while you are eating. This it is an essential part of the mindful eating process. It is extremely difficult to be mindful while the TV is blaring and you can barely hear yourself think. Next time you are enjoying dinner, try focusing on the moment and the experience of eating, rather than being glued to the tv screen.
2. Tap Into All Your Senses
Next, think about each sense you experience while eating, even the ones you don’t always pay much attention to. If it helps, go through each sense one by one. Look at your food to channel your sight, then take a whiff to use your sense of smell. Cut into the food to hear how it sounds, and enjoy the texture and taste for your touch and taste senses. This will eventually become more natural, but being more conscious of your senses in the beginning helps you become more mindful.
3. Eat Slowly and With Purpose
Slow down your eating! Try focusing more on each bite, as well as how you feel during the process. This is a mind eating tip that just involves chewing a little more after every bite, and putting your utensil down after every few bites. This alone is going to help you slow down, but you also tend to naturally eat a little slower when you aren’t watching something or trying to work at the same time.
4. Journal How Eating Certain Foods Makes You Feel
You can also use different tools for mindful eating, like writing in a food journal. There are many different ways to use a journal for mindful eating, including tracking what you eat and how it makes you feel. Try writing down your hunger and fullness levels before and after your meals. Make a note WHY you chose to eat what you ate, and then journal your thoughts and feelings after each meal.
5. Use Positive Affirmations
You can also try using positive affirmations to help shift your mindset about food and eating. Remember that affirmations should be short enough for you to remember them, and consist of positive statements. Write them down in your journal, repeat them before each meal, or keep them on sticky notes on your fridge.
RELATED: How Affirmations Can Change Your Mindset in Less Than 5 Minutes a Day
Try these mindful eating tips today and see if your next meal experience feels any different!
