The most common reason for over eating at meal times is because we’re eating on autopilot- and usually FAST! These 10 mindful eating exercises can help you slow down, pay attention to your food, and more accurately listen to your bodies hunger and fullness.

What Is Mindful Eating?

Mindful eating has been a super hot topic over the past year, and rightfully so! But, exactly what is mindful eating? Good question! It’s a style of eating that really focuses on your awareness and experience of the food you’re eating.

Watch This Mindful Eating Video!

Watch this and more videos on YouTube!

Why Mindful Eating Exercises?

When we use mindful eating exercises a few things happen:

• less over eating
• less under eating
• consuming more feel-good, nourishing foods
• greater sense of pleasure
• less feelings of guilt

So much goodness, right? Be sure to pin this blog post to your Pinterest board so that you can always come back to these tips and make all of the above YOUR reality!

All of that from simply paying attention to your foods. Such a simple task yet something we so often skip over! I mean, think about it. When was the last time you scarfed down your lunch in a rush? What did you feel like after? Maybe a little food coma-ed, maybe still wanting more food cause, well, where did it even go?! In that moment if you were to implement some of these mindful eating exercises you would leave with SUCH a higher level of satisfaction! Don’t believe me? Give even just ONE of these tips a try and I’ll bet you see a positive difference!

1. Before you eat your meal take in the look, smell, even FEEL of it!
2. Note where you are eating. Are you with friends, in a busy cafeteria, or alone? How might this impact your meal? (i.e eating faster, distracted, etc.)
3. Use the hunger scale before, in the middle, and after your meal to gauge your hunger and fullness. (I call these mid-meal check ins!)
4. Make a point to describe your meal to someone after you eat it- in depth!
5. Take note of your emotions. Are you stressed, anxious, sad, excited? How might this impact your eating?
6. Ask yourself if the food even tastes as good as you imagine! I mean, actually tastes that good!
7. Take note of how the first VS third, fourth or fifth bite tastes. Do you notice a difference?
8. Journal about how the foods made your feel- mentally and physically- after the meal. (I love Erin Condren Journals!)
9. Is there anything about the meal you would change for next time? Any toppings, seasoning, etc that would have made it even better?
10. View every meal as a learning experience. Even if you eat past fullness, not enough, or don’t like the food don’t beat yourself up! Use this as a chance to learn!

The best part of all of these exercises? You can literally do them ANYWHERE and I’m pretty sure no one is even going to know you’re doing them!

I have a copy of the hunger scale that I use in my free e-book, The Ultimate 5-Step Guide To Food Freedom. Be sure to snag that tool and put it to use!

Leave a comment with which of these tips you’re going to try first! And, if you’re an over achiever, come back after you’ve tried it and tell me about what happened!!!

Happy food rule breaking (& mindful eating!!)

XOXO

-Colleen

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