15 Mindful Eating Practices For Better Digestion And Nutrition

Just as gas fuels a car, food fuels our mind and body. And while food isn’t the only factor in our health, just as gas isn’t the only maintenance a car needs, we can all agree that food is crucial—not only what we eat but how we eat it.

Mindful eating is a powerful way to refocus and “tune up” your body and mind, allowing you to nourish yourself in a meaningful.

I’m sharing 15 practical tips to help you start practicing mindful eating. These tips will improve how you feel, think, and live, creating a positive impact that flows into all areas of your life.

What Is Mindful Eating?

Mindful eating is the practice of fully focusing on the experience of eating, and being aware of the taste, texture, and smell of your food while paying attention to your body’s signals.

This approach helps improve brain function, and energy levels, weight management, better nutrition and so much more.

Mindful eating is beneficial for anyone looking to improve their overall health. It can even help overcome emotional eating habits and promote a positive relationship with food.

These eating practices connect your main source of nutrients and energy to every aspect of your body, treating you as a whole interconnected person. Slowing down and being mindful of what and how you eat can literally transform the way you look, think, feel, and move throughout life.

Disclaimer: While mindful eating can be a helpful tool for individuals with eating disorders, it should not replace professional treatment. It’s important to seek guidance from a healthcare professional or therapist who specializes in eating disorders to ensure comprehensive support and care.❤️

1. Pace Yourself

Okay first up, pace yourself. While this is obvious to a lot of people, it doesn’t make it any less challenging.

But using these practicals can help you put these tips into real life practice and help you slow down and pace yourself when eating.

• Use Non-Dominant Hand: While it may seem super awkward at first, eating with your non-dominant hand can slow down the process and make you more aware of each bite.
• Put Utensils Down Between Bites: Set your utensils down to help you slow down between bites. Try doing this between each bite.
• Chew Thoroughly: Timing your bites for around 20-30 seconds can help you slow down and give your mind and stomach time to recognize fullness.
• Pause During Meals: Take 2-3 breaks during your meal to assess how full you are and whether you need to continue eating.

2. Listen to Your Hunger and Fullness Cues

Next up, recognize your body’s signals.

We are so used to ignoring our body’s signals…sometimes until it’s too late and we’re left feeling stuffed.

Try pausing before you eat to assess your hunger level.

During the meal, pay attention to how full or satisfied you feel, stopping when comfortably full. You can even pause 2-3 times during your meal to reassess your fullness level.

3. Engage Your Senses

Eating is a beautiful thing but we often miss it when we’re too busy scarfing things down and eating absent-mindedly.

Focus on the smell, taste, texture, and appearance of your food to fully appreciate the eating experience.

You’d be surprised how much food it self has to offer to more than just our stomachs!

4. Avoid Multitasking While Eating

OH MY GOSH!! This was such a hard one for me. When I was teaching all I did was multi-task during my lunch. Calling parents, making copies, grading papers, you name it!

Even at home, I found myself scrolling through Pinterest or needing “background noise” to feel like I was ready to sit down and eat but that takes away so much from our eating experience and can distract us from recognizing our body’s signals until it’s too late!

Instead of over stimulating yourself with distractions like watching TV or scrolling through your phone try taking your meal in a distraction-free place like outside on a bench or in a quiet room.

You can even put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” and leave it in your bag or another room.

5. Eat in a Calm Environment

Speaking of distraction-free eating, you can even take it a step further and create a vibe.

I love eating outside when the weather is nice …or even by a window, especially when it’s raining.

Creating a calm environment or “a vibe” can literally be as simple as eating with your favorite plate or in a nice chair or turning on calming low music(but without scrolling or watching anything lol).

This can help make eating a more mindful and meaningful experience.

6. Portion Control

In a lot of places, especially in America. Our portion sizes have gotten out of control! Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t know for to measure or find the correct portion amount.

But portions are very important. Understanding food ingredient labels and eating the correct portion sizes can help you avoid overeating.

Pro Tip: Avoid eating straight from the package; instead, portion your meals and snacks onto plates or bowls.

7. Practice Gratitude

Okay, this is by far one of the most overlooked areas of mindful eating.

Practice GRATITUDE.

This not only helps you appreciate your meal and the actions and steps taken prior to it becoming a meal but it also helps you to create a sense of positivity within a simple but often overlooked area of your life.

So, take a moment before eating to express gratitude for the food, considering where it came from and how it nourishes your body.

8. Recognize Emotional Eating Triggers

Whether it be a happy moment or an upsetting one, we’ve all turned to some sort of food to comfort us.

This is called emotional eating and recognizing which emotions trigger unhealthy eating habits can help you improve the way you respond to your emotional eating triggers.

It’s hard though…and emotional eating can be debilitating but with mindfulness and maybe professional help, if needed, you can and will overcome emotional eating.

The goal is to identify if you emotionally eat due to stress, boredom, or emotions rather than hunger, and find non-food ways to address those feelings.

Here are a few tips and resources that pair great with mindful eating that can help you overcome emotional eating and support healthy eating habits.

• Books: “The Mindful Eating Workbook” by Vincci Tsui or “Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food” by Jan Chozen Bays.
• Apps: Apps like “Headspace” or “Calm” offer guided meditation that can complement mindful eating practices by reducing stress and emotional triggers.
• Support Groups: Consider joining groups such as Overeaters Anonymous or online communities focused on mindful eating and emotional health.
• Therapists: Seeking help from a registered dietitian or therapist specializing in emotional eating can offer personalized strategies.
• Journaling: Keeping a food and feelings journal helps you track emotional triggers and connect with your eating habits in a deeper way.

9. Take Smaller Bites

As someone who loves to stuff her mouth, take small bites and just being aware of my bite size has helped me before way more mindful.

Smaller, more deliberate bites allow you to savor your food and recognize when you’re getting full.

It also helps you to slow down and not finish your meal so fast before your body has time to register your meal.

10. Choose Whole, Unprocessed Foods

Ditch the processed foods as much as possible because they’re so bad for your body. A lot of them are made to be addictive and overstimulating causing you to have cravings and want more but never truly feeling satisfied.

Instead, stay out of the main aisles and shop in the outer sections of the grocery store like the produce and meat markets. Choose nutrient-dense foods that actually support and nourish your body.

11. Hydrate Mindfully

Drink water throughout the day, and before eating, to make sure you’re not mistaking thirst for hunger.

I started drinking at least 8 oz of water before I take a sip of coffee for the day. Not only does this help me to not start my day by dehydrating myself but it gives me a head start in trying to reach my daily water intake goal.

Drinking water and being mindful of your hydration will help you feel so much better throughout the day and prevent dehydration headaches.

12. Pay Attention to the Impact of Food

We all respond to certain foods differently. It’s so important to pay attention to how different foods make your body feel during and after eating – energetic, sluggish, satisfied, or bloated – and adjust your choices accordingly.

13. Eat When You’re Truly Hungry

Wait for physical hunger signals before eating, rather than eating by the clock or out of routine.

If you’re not hungry don’t eat and on the other hand, if you’re hungry and not just having a craving or emotional eating then eat.

14. Create an Eating Ritual

Now while it’s important to eat when your body is sending signals that it’s hungry, it’s also important to eat on a schedule as much as possible.

Setting a specific time and place for eating meals can help cultivate a habit of mindful eating. This also helps prevent overeating and snacking throughout the day.

15. Mindful Breathing Before Eating

Lastly, don’t forget to breathe!!

Take a few deep breaths before eating to calm your mind and center your focus on the present moment. You can even take it a step further and meditate for 5-10 minutes and focus on your breathing and thoughts before or after a meal.

Not only does this provide benefits to you remind but it also helps aid in digestion.

Implementing these mindful eating tips can significantly change how eating influences various aspects of your life. Being purposeful about both what and how you eat ensures your mind and body receive the nourishment they need.

Remember, eating affects more than just your stomach—it has the potential to shape how you feel and live each day.

Thank you so much for reading🤍 We hope this guide was helpful! Happy Mindful Eating!🍽️