Mindful Eating: How to Enjoy Your Food More (and Eat Less)
Trying to eat healthier? Watching your weight? Maybe you want to eat more fruits and vegetables or cut back on junk food this summer. Here’s how you can eat more mindfully, eliminate extra calories, and enjoy your food more.
Focus on Your Food
How many times have you eaten lunch at your desk, gobbled breakfast in your car, or snacked in front of the TV at night? Eating while you’re doing other things makes you more likely to overeat. Eliminate all distractions—yes, even your smartphone—to eat less.
Use Smaller Plates and Bowls
Research reveals that simply using a smaller-sized plate or bowl means that you wind up eating less—without even trying.
Go Beyond the Chew
It’s easy to scarf down food without really tasting it. Slow down and pay attention to the way your food looks. How does it smell? Is it soft, chewy, crunchy? Hot or warm? The more senses you involve, the more satisfying your food will be.
Track Your Intake
Writing down everything you eat makes you more aware of every bite you take—whether it’s a cookie off the plate in the break room or sampling the pasta sauce you’re making.
Check In with Your Appetite
We often eat out of habit, or because there’s food around. Ask if you’re truly hungry before you eat. Paying attention to your body’s hunger signals (like an empty or growling stomach) will help you enjoy your food more.
Attend a FREE Seminar
If you’re struggling to reach a healthy weight, WCHN’s Nationally Accredited Center for Surgical Weight Loss may be able to help. Learn more at one of our free seminars—find more information here: