With our day-to-day lives getting increasingly busier, eating can become more of a task rather than an enjoyable experience. More often than not, this can lead to finishing a meal without feeling like you actually ate anything; remember that time you were scrolling on your phone while snacking on Maltesers, and wham, the pack is gone?

Although this is time-saving and sometimes unavoidable, there are many times when we mindlessly consume food, often unnecessarily. We do this so often that even when we do have the time to enjoy a meal, we don't. Backtrack to the last meal you ate…can you even remember what you had? If you do, what were the components of the meal, what did it smell like, what did it taste like (other than yum), and were there levels of flavour and texture? You may be thinking “nobody has time for that”, yet I’m sure, as part of your health journey, you want to be more mindful of your eating. Mindful eating is more than just knowing “vegetables are good for me”, it’s also about how your food choices impact you and the experiences you build within and around those choices. 

Mindful eating is the practice of being present and fully attentive during occasions involving food, which allows us to slow down, listen to our bodies, and enjoy food more. This helps us to understand why we make the choices we do which then leads to higher levels of satisfaction, gives us more opportunity to recognise our fullness cues and make conscious choices that can prevent overeating. 

Here are my top tips for mindful eating - try a couple of these during your next meal!

Slow down and set aside time to eat 

Occasionally eating on the go is unavoidable but it is important that when we have the time to sit down and eat we actually do it. Slowing down doesn’t require you to set aside an hour, at most, allow yourself 10 minutes rather than inhaling that meal you have longed for since breakfast. In your next meal, sit down and take a moment to observe the smell and visual of your meal, then once you’re ready to eat, think about what you taste and feel. This will help you build an experience that helps you become more in tune with your meal and how your body is responding to what's going on in that meal.

Listen to your hunger cues – are you actually hungry or just bored? 

The two most common reasons for people unnecessarily eating include emotion and boredom. Next time you feel like eating but are unsure of why take a moment to be present and ask yourself the below questions. These are only a few of many, but a good start to learning how to differentiate between the two…

• How much water have I sipped on up until this point?

• When was my last meal?

• When is my next meal due?

If you realised you haven’t been drinking enough water, start sipping away. If your last meal was 2-3 hours ago and you’re 30 minutes away from lunch, you’re probably hungry. Don’t be ashamed to eat earlier than usual but if don’t have a choice with the timing of your meals, make yourself a hot cuppa to help tide you over. 

If your answers to the questions don’t line up with why you’re unusually feeling like food, ask yourself the next few questions…

• Was your urge for food sudden?

• Was your last meal less than an hour ago?

• Can you distract yourself from the thought of feeling like food?

If your urge for food was sudden and your last meal was less than an hour ago, your feeling for food is most likely emotional. Try and identify what is triggering these emotions and look to implement some strategies void of food that will help you manage these emotions better. 

Eliminate distractions 

Have you ever sat down in front of the TV or been on your phone while eating only to look down at your plate and realise it’s empty and you have no idea where all the food has gone? I know I have! This distraction has limited our engagement with our meal and left us feeling unsatisfied, leading us to still feel like more food. Next time, try sitting at a dining table with no TV running in the background and no phones. You’ll be surprised at how much more relaxing and enjoyable eating your meal will be.

Chew your food

It may seem simple but taking time to chew your food is super important when we are eating. Along with other things on this list, chewing slows down our eating and gives our body time to register how much food we have consumed and kick-start our fullness cues. Multiple studies have found that increasing chewing time increases self-reported fullness levels and decreases total daily food intake. Plus you’d be surprised how much more you can taste with a little more chewing. 

Stop eating when you feel full 

Whether you are still eating because the food is delicious or because it’s right in front of you, if your body is telling you it is full, listen to it and STOP EATING. 

I 100% understand the concept of not being able to leave the table until everything on your plate was finished, which is more so from the perspective of reducing waste. However, it is important to remember your body isn’t a rubbish bin so don’t treat it that way. Focus on serving yourself controlled portions, especially if you’re someone that struggles to stop eating when you are full or just picks at food because it is there. If you’re still physically hungry afterward, serve yourself a little bit more but remain present so you can remain in tune with your appetite cues. If you don’t finish your food, place it into a container and save it for lunch the next day.

Stay hydrated 

You’ve probably heard this before but it is super important to stay hydrated throughout the day to prevent overeating. Often we can confuse our thirst signals with hunger and then consume food unnecessarily, so by staying hydrated across the day we prevent hitting this point and reaching for food or having to play catch up with water.