This blog post is not coming from experience (yet!). We want to eat more mindfully as we transition to full time merrymaking… so we’re writing about it and well, you know how it goes, tell the universe, or in this case merrymaker land and it will happen. Our friends from Smiling Mind inspired this post as they’ve teamed up with the Grill’d guys to get some mindful eating happening over the month of August. We love Smiling Mind and we LOVE Grill’d (ask for a naked burger with sweet potato chippies!).
When we were stuck in jobs we absolutely had no passion for (truth!) we found ourselves eating when we weren’t hungry, emotional eating, eating at our desks and eating too fast. We’d finish our meal, look down and wonder: where did all the food go?! These habits definitely need to stop as we venture in to full time merrymaking!
We’ve done some reading and found some great tips to help our wellbeing and they might help you too!
9 tips to eat more mindfully
The Lorna Jane, Move Nourish Believe team have some great ideas…
- No two days are the same. If you went on a 7-mile hike on Sunday, you might be craving a larger dinner than after a typical Monday at the office. Maybe you join your co-worker for lunch every day at noon, but on some days you’re not hungry until 1:30. When you learn how to approach each day mindfully and listen to your body rather than the clock, calendar, and those around you, you are able to eat more sensibly.
- No matter what, always check in with your fullness level. Stop when you are 80% full rather than eating until you can’t eat anymore (100% or more). Ensure you’re keeping up your water intake throughout the day as sometimes dehydration can be mistaken for hunger.
Leo Babauta from Zen Habits says to…
- Appreciate the appearance. While we’ve all drooled over gorgeous food porn in magazines or online, sometimes we forget about the beauty of the food we are about to eat. Taking the time to notice sets the scene for mindful eating.
- Focus on each mouthful. Think about the flavour, texture and even the sound of the food in your mouth. Focus on how much you like, or dislike these sensations.
We also asked a bunch of our Health Coach friends to give us their best tips…
- Deanne Kalda from Maa Organics said choose food you love, and don’t forget to inhale and savour the aromas.
- Joanna Roy said make a meal out of your meal! Sit down, focus and savour. Chew slowly and really taste. Make time to eat slowly, no shovelling it in on the hoof!
- Linda Ivey from Getfed for life said eat together at the table savouring good food and company.
- Tegan Westra from Body Love Revolution said I like to make sure I chew everything really well, taste and take in the flavours and put my fork down between bites as I check in to see if I feel satisfied.
From all of these tips and trialling them out this week, we’ve come up with our own!
Merrymaker mindful eating tip: when you sit down to eat, make sure there are no distractions. Set the intention that this meal is going to benefit your wellbeing. That’s right, no iPhone in one hand and fork in the other (guilty as charged! We now pop our phones away… once we’ve taken a photo of course!). No TV! Focus on your meal, taste all of the flavours and really feel the texture.
It’s only been a week of consciously following these tips and we’re already feeling more grounded and grateful for our meals.
Now it’s over to you! What are your tips to eat more mindfully?! We’d LOVE to hear them! Just leave us a comment!
Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla