5 ways mindful eating can help you stay on track

By now, you’re probably familiar with the concept of mindfulness. Since you’re reading this on Centr, you have probably even begun your own mindfulness practice!

But why stop there? Mindfulness is a concept that can be applied to nearly every aspect of life, and it can be particularly helpful when it comes to eating. Advanced Sports Dietitian Lisa Middleton is a big fan of mindful eating. So what exactly is it?

“Mindfulness is all about slowing down and being focused, which can have a positive effect on our eating habits, how we nourish ourselves and our enjoyment of food,” Lisa says.

Navigating nutrition and food choices can be complex and challenging, so if you feel you need further support and guidance, speak with an accredited practicing dietician or psychologist. But if you feel like you’re ready to try mindful eating, here are five simple ways you can start to bring mindfulness to the table.

1. Be mindful of hunger

If you’re wondering where to begin when it comes to mindful eating, Lisa favors starting with the absolute basics: working out if you’re really hungry or not. “Many people eat when they are not hungry and for a range of other reasons, or just because the food available tastes good,” Lisa says. “Start thinking about what, and how much, you really need at your next meal sitting.”

2. Notice those flavors

Think about your ‘normal’ mindfulness practice: you might begin to notice how your body feels, what’s happening around you, or even the act of breathing. With mindful eating, you’ve got lots of senses available to you, so slow down and think about things like texture, flavor or aroma. When you’re striving to hit strength goals it can be tempting to think of food purely as fuel and to shovel it down without much enjoyment. If you approach your macros mindfully, you can get your protein and also take the time to enjoy your food.

3. No tech at the dining table

This is an easy one. At dinner (or lunch or breakfast), just take a few minutes out of your busy habits. If that means putting the phone on airplane mode or shutting the laptop, do it. It’s small changes like this that can have a big impact. “It’s not just clicking your fingers and off you go,” Lisa says. “Eating habits develop gradually over time, and equally it can take some time to slow down and start to incorporate mindfulness when you eat.”

4. A moment of (delicious) calm

Let’s say you’ve got your mindfulness practice to the point where you know there’s at least 20 minutes of the day where you’ll find some brain space and be in the present moment. Well, if you practice eating mindfully, you’ve already snared yourself three more mindfulness sessions throughout the day!

“Being mindful about food can often be a challenge when we are rushing around with lots on our mind,” Lisa says. “It starts with taking the time to stop and think about what you eat, how you eat and why.”

5. Physical and emotional nutrition

“When it comes to nutrition, mindful eating means considering your psychological and emotional needs, too,” Lisa says. “A mindful approach to eating allows you to listen to your body. When following the Centr meal plans, you can swap meals if need be, according to your individual needs that day.”

If you know you’ve got a stressful meeting or a big family event to plan, and you tend to be an emotional eater, prepare ahead: put some healthy, comforting meals in your Planner for that time. Likewise, if you know you have some busy days ahead, switch your meals around so you get a good carb and protein hit for lunch. Thinking about what you need to eat and when: that’s mindful eating.