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Healing Your Relationship With Food:
- Part 1: Understanding the Mental Ties
- Part 2: The Physical Aspects
- Part 3: Emotional Eating
- Part 4: Restricting Food Due to Anxiety/Depression or for Weight Loss
- Part 5: Restricting Food Because of Busyness or a Fear of Pain
If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body’s hunger signals or found yourself eating mindlessly, you’re not alone. Many of us were never taught how to truly listen to our bodies and eat in a way that supports both our physical and emotional well-being. This post is all about changing that — offering practical steps to help you approach meals with more mindfulness and intention. By developing a mindful eating routine, we can not only improve our eating habits but also create a healthier, more peaceful relationship with food. Let’s dive into some simple yet powerful ways to start nourishing your body in a way that feels both fulfilling and balanced.
Mindful Eating Techniques: The Key to Reconnecting with Food
In recent years, we’ve finally started to acknowledge something incredibly important: the way we eat can be just as crucial as what we eat. For so long, society’s focus was primarily on the types of foods we consume — low-carb, low-fat, organic, etc. — but now we’re realizing that the how matters just as much. How we approach our meals — mindfully, with intention, and full awareness — affects what we end up eating, how much we eat, and, most importantly, our overall relationship with food.
Mindful Eating Tips for a Better Relationship with Food
1. Slow Down
Take your time to enjoy each bite. Put your fork or spoon down between bites, take smaller mouthfuls, and chew thoroughly.
Why it’s important: Anecdotally, they say it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal that your stomach is full. When you eat quickly, you risk overeating and feeling uncomfortably stuffed. (Ever eat so fast that you feel like a human balloon about to float away? Yeah, not the vibe.)
2. Engage Your Senses
Before you even take a bite, pause and notice the food in front of you: its color, aroma, and texture. Then, as you eat, focus on how it feels in your mouth and the different flavors you taste.
Why it’s important: Engaging your senses helps you be more present with your meal, which not only enhances your experience but also prevents mindless eating. Plus, slowing down to notice your food means you’re less likely to overeat because you’re savoring every bite.
Note: If you experience anxiety around food and focusing on it makes eating more difficult, you might not be ready for this step just yet.
3. Chew Thoroughly
The importance of chewing goes beyond just enjoying the taste. Thorough chewing is essential for proper digestion.
Why it’s important: Digestion starts in the mouth! By chewing your food thoroughly, you’re giving your body a head start in breaking down nutrients. Plus, slow chewing signals to your body that it’s time to start the digestion process.
4. Tune in to Your Hunger and Fullness
Before, during, and after a meal, check in with yourself. How hungry are you? Are you starting to feel full?
Why it’s important: If you grew up with the “clean your plate” mentality, it’s time to unlearn it. Mindful eating teaches you to listen to your body’s needs instead of forcing yourself to finish everything. If you’re full, stop eating — even if there’s still food left. Trust me, that leftover pizza will still be there tomorrow.
5. Eliminate Distractions
Put away your phone, turn off the TV, and silence your laptop. Create space to be fully present with your food by eating at a table and using a plate, rather than eating directly from a package.
Why it’s important: Even when you’re eating regular meals, it’s easy to fall into mindless eating. Perhaps you start snacking on chips straight from the bag while watching a movie, only to realize halfway through that you’ve eaten the entire thing, barely remembering the taste. After finishing such a large bag, you might feel uncomfortably full, with a bloated stomach, sluggishness, and a lingering heaviness that makes it hard to do some tasks.
Note: If you struggle with anxiety around thinking about food, you might find it helpful to incorporate some distractions, such as conversing with others or listening to music, while still practicing fundamental habits like eating at a table and using a plate instead of eating from a package. This can help you navigate meals more comfortably while still fostering a healthier eating environment.
6. Stay Calm
Try to approach your meals with a sense of calm. Avoid eating in stressful or rushed situations and give yourself time to relax.
Why it’s important: Stress impacts digestion; and, eating when you’re anxious or upset can lead to discomfort. Plus, emotional eating often thrives in high-stress environments. Taking a few deep breaths before eating can help set the tone for a more mindful meal.
7. Appreciate Your Meal
Take a moment to express gratitude — whether silently or aloud — for the food in front of you. Appreciate where it came from, how it nourishes you, and the fact that you have access to it.
Why it’s important: Gratitude helps you shift your mindset and start making positive associations with food. If you’ve struggled with negative or black-and-white thinking around food, a gratitude practice can help retrain your brain to see food as nourishing and enjoyable—rather than a source of stress or guilt.
Eating Frequency
An unmet physical need can also lead to binge or overeating. For example, if you skip breakfast and lunch and suddenly find yourself starving by 5 o’clock, you might end up picking up a pizza on the way home and eating the entire thing. Maybe you find yourself grazing on snack foods throughout the day because you’re not eating regular meals.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to how often people should eat. That said, when someone is struggling with overeating or food restriction, more frequent feedings are often the best option. Practically speaking, this typically means eating every two to four hours. This can be done through small, frequent meals (4 to 6 times a day) or by having three meals with two to three snacks spread throughout the day. While it may take some planning, once you carve out time to prepare and organize, you’ll start to feel the benefits.
Blood Sugar Regulation
This is another reason why eating more frequently can be beneficial, depending on the types of foods you’re choosing. Scientific research has shown that blood sugar spikes and crashes can lead to increased cravings, heightened hunger, and drops in energy, focus, and concentration. Similarly, going too long without eating can also make it harder to maintain energy and focus, often leading to overeating when you finally eat, which then triggers the same cycle of blood sugar imbalances. Low blood sugar has also been shown to exacerbate anxiety, as fluctuating blood sugar levels can trigger feelings of irritability, stress, and mood instability.
To maintain balanced blood sugar, it’s important to ensure that your meals and snacks are well-rounded. Adding protein to a meal or snack has been shown to help prevent significant blood sugar spikes, keeping you fuller for longer and allowing you to feel satisfied with more appropriate portion sizes.
Starting a meal with high-fiber, low-carb options like vegetables (e.g., a salad or vegetable soup) or adding nuts, seeds, or avocado has been shown to help prevent blood sugar spikes. For many people, making vegetables 1/3 of their lunch and dinner can help keep blood sugar balanced and promote a sense of fullness, making it easier to enjoy normal portion sizes. Similarly, incorporating finger vegetables (e.g., baby carrots and celery) with a healthy dip, nuts, seeds, or avocado as part of a snack can help curb cravings and prevent overeating less nutritious snack foods.
Sample Menu for Balanced Blood Sugar
Breakfast
1. PrOatmeal Recipe: Rolled oats with water and one beaten egg mixed together. Heat all three and mix well. Then mix in ½ banana (mashed), cinnamon, 1 tsp peanut butter, and top with nuts and seeds of your choice.
2. Avocado Toast on Ezekiel Bread: Topped with 2 eggs cooked any style.
Lunch
1. Leftovers from a balanced dinner the night before. This is my personal favorite for making things easier while staying well-nourished.
2. Green Salad: With chicken, garbanzo beans, slivered almonds, and a side of roasted sweet potato fries.
Dinner
1. Salmon Teriyaki: Served with stir-fried veggies and rice.
2. Lemon Herb Chicken: Paired with roasted potatoes and green beans sautéed with onions and dill.
Snacks
If you’re craving…
1. Chips: Try serving yourself one portion on a plate, and pair it with a couple of cheese sticks and some baby carrots. Alternatively, melt some cheese on the chips and enjoy them with a generous serving of guacamole and salsa for added flavor and balance.
2. Cookies (or other sweets): Pair them with a handful of nuts or seeds or enjoy them with some low-sugar Greek yogurt. You can either eat the protein alongside your sweets or have the protein first to help manage your hunger and reduce the temptation to overeat.
Remember: Eating more frequently in ways that keep you satisfied, and your blood sugar balanced, can help prevent overeating hyper-palatable foods like chips, cookies, and other salty or sweet snacks. Remind yourself that all foods can fit into a healthy routine and that you can always have more later.
That being said, you can also choose more nutritious versions of your favorite sweets and salty snacks. For example, you might enjoy a chocolate chip banana muffin made with almond flour or some whole grain crackers to satisfy that salty crunch. The key is to pick foods you genuinely enjoy that also leave you feeling satisfied and nourished.
Nutrient-Dense Foods
This brings us to a deeper understanding of how balanced nutrition supports a healthy relationship with food. To truly honor our bodies, we need to provide the right quantity and variety of nutrients it requires. When we focus too much on foods that are low in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber, we end up limiting our ability to make room for nutrient-dense options.
The key here is to adopt a gentle, sustainable approach to nutrition. Instead of clinging to outdated “eat clean” ideals, we should focus on ensuring we get a balanced variety of foods that nourish our bodies while also making sure these foods are ones we enjoy. When we prioritize nutrient-dense foods in ways that work for us, we’ll naturally create space for other foods that may be lower in fiber or vitamins but bring us joy.
Hydration and Its Effect on Appetite
They say that when you feel hungry, it might be thirst in disguise — that you could be dehydrated instead of needing food. While this is sometimes true, it’s not always the case. Some people with a “diet mentality” suggest drinking water before a meal to curb appetite and prevent overeating, but I don’t necessarily agree with that approach. If you don’t eat enough during the meal, you’ll likely feel hungry again soon after.
That said, staying properly hydrated throughout the day is incredibly important. Drinking enough water helps support clear hunger signals and can improve your mental state, making you less likely to turn to food when you’re not actually hungry. While water won’t replace a balanced meal, it can definitely support better hunger awareness and overall well-being.
Food Timing and Metabolism
Eating at the same time each day provides several unique benefits for improving your relationship with food:
- Builds Consistent Hunger Signals: A regular eating schedule helps train your body to send clear hunger cues, making it easier to recognize true physical hunger versus emotional or mindless cravings.
- Reduces Stress Around Meals: Knowing exactly when you’ll be eating next can reduce anxiety and stress about when or what to eat, leading to a more relaxed approach to meals.
- Supports a Healthier Food Mindset: When you eat at regular times, food becomes part of a balanced routine, rather than a sporadic or emotional experience, encouraging a healthier relationship with eating.
Mindful eating is all about slowing down and being present with your food, making each meal more enjoyable and satisfying. By incorporating simple practices like savoring each bite, tuning into your hunger, and eliminating distractions, you can improve both your relationship with food and your overall well-being. This journey isn’t about perfection, but progress and small steps towards a more balanced approach to eating. Ready to give it a try? Start today with one mindful eating tip and see how it feels.
