Mindful Eating

Begin the conversation by reading the key messages

1.  Listen to your body's hunger and fullness cues. 

2.  When eating, engage all of your senses. 

3.  Feelings may affect what and how much we eat.

You can use this Mindful Eating goal sheet (pdf) to help guide the discussion.

Share important information about mindful eating

Mindful eating is important for living a healthier life. It means paying attention to your food and knowing when you are hungry or full. Use all your senses when you eat, like smelling and tasting your food. Learning to eat mindfully helps you understand your body better. Think about how you can practice mindful eating and how it helps you stay healthy.

Choose an open-ended question to reflect on mindful eating

1. Which of the senses do you use the most when eating? (listen for answers that include taste, smell, texture, appearance, sound)

2. What do your hunger and fullness cues feel like? 

3. What else is happening when you are eating? (listen for answers that include TV, computer, phone, or other distractions)

Come up with ideas for a specific goal

Select a change (ideally goals come from the person, these are just ideas):

1. Record what you ate and how you felt in a journal for a set number of days.

2. Enjoy every bite. Focus on the taste and experience of eating.

3. Portion out snacks in a bowl rather than eating directly from the bag or box.

Help make a plan (be specific -- time, day, action -- and start small):

• For dinner tonight, I will give full attention to the food I’m eating by not watching TV or looking at my phone.

• Tomorrow I will write down what I had for breakfast and lunch.

Ideas for mindful eating:

• Slow Down: Eat at a slower pace and take smaller bites. This allows you to savor the flavors and textures of your food.

• Engage Your Senses: Notice the colors, smells, textures, and flavors of your food. Appreciate the sensory experience.

• Eliminate Distractions: Try to eat away from screens (TV, computer, phone) and other distractions. Focus solely on the act of eating.

• Chew Thoroughly: Chew your food thoroughly before swallowing. This aids digestion and allows you to fully taste and enjoy your food.

• Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues. Stop eating when you feel satisfied, not overly full.

• Be Non-judgmental: Avoid labeling foods as "good" or "bad." Instead, observe how different foods make you feel physically and emotionally.

• Gratitude: Before eating, take a moment to express gratitude for your food and the effort that went into preparing it.

• Mindful Preparation: If possible, participate in preparing your meals. This can deepen your connection to the food and the process of eating.

Assess confidence in meeting the goal

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you that you can meet your plan?

Close with quotes from what others said about this topic

"It's amazing how we put the same amount of cashews in a very small bowl or in a large bowl and they look so different. In the large bowl, it's like that's not enough, you’ll go back at least.  But if you have a really small bowl, it's easier to accept that yeah, maybe that's enough.” 

“Yeah, it’s the mindfulness and saying, “Thank you!”, and chewing my food and enjoying it rather than just eating really fast and not being thankful.”