Eating Awareness

We all have them, those irresistible foods that we can't seem to eat enough of. If we're not paying attention as we eat them — mindlessly.  Maybe you're doing work at our desk or watching a movie and when you look down to find you've eaten the entire bag of chips or bottle of nuts.

One way to prevent this kind of overeating is to practice eating with awareness. When you eat with your goal in mind, your aim is to focus solely on the here-and-now experience of eating.  Focus on the sight, flavor, texture, and aroma of the food, plus the thoughts and feelings you have as you eat. Food should be pleasurable.

To help you practice awareness eating- Eat only when you are seated at your kitchen or dining room table. Don't eat while watching television, reading, standing by the sink, driving, lying or sitting in bed, or doing anything else that requires your attention.

Remember calories count. When you're eating with someone else in the room -Keep the focus on the food rather than the conversation. Don't get so wrapped up talking - that you forget to notice and enjoy your food.

Before you start eating, take a few deep breaths. As you eat, put your utensil down between bites. Take time to really savor each mouthful.

Before you eat --Take a few seconds and ask yourself--. Am I a little hungry? Moderately hungry? or Ravenously hungry?

As you eat, pause to check in occasionally with your hunger.

You don't have to join the clean plate club. Stop eating once you feel satisfied rather than eating until all your food is gone. Push your plate away, and give your body 15 to 20 minutes to register whether or not you are still hungry before you eat more.

Over time, learning to eat in the moment will help you break free from mindless eating and make your meals more enjoyable, satisfying and healthier.

And remember if you have a meal that is not so healthy --don't fret about it and just move on. You can go back to your healthy choices the next meal.

It's important to take your program Meal by Meal, Day by Day, Week by Week, Month by Month, Year by Year.