Have you ever eaten an entire bag of chips while watching your favorite Netflix show and not even realized it? Or maybe you are driving to work and scarfed down your breakfast so quickly you did not even taste your egg and bacon sandwich? You are not alone.

It is very easy to be disconnected to the food we are eating if we are not mindful and focused on it. According to an article published in the American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Spectrum, titled Mindful Eating: The Art of Presence While You Eat,  “Mindful eating (i.e., paying attention to our food, on purpose, moment by moment, without judgment) is an approach to food that focuses on individuals’ sensual awareness of the food and their experience of the food. It has little to do with calories, carbohydrates, fat, or protein. The purpose of mindful eating is not to lose weight, although it is highly likely that those who adopt this style of eating will lose weight. The intention is to help individuals savor the moment and the food and encourage their full presence for the eating experience”. 

You do not have to be a meditation expert to start your journey on mindful eating. However, beginning to seek out a mindfulness practice in general can also assist in your mindful eating path as well. Whether it's through exercise, meditation, yoga, a spiritual practice, journaling, taking walks in nature or other mindfulness strategies, you can start to incorporate these techniques at your snack and meal time as well. It requires you to pause, stop and think before you hit up that vending machine at your office, the next drive through, or on a rushed trip through the grocery store. 

Here are some strategies to get you started on eating mindfully:

• Disconnect while you eat. It's very easy to sit down for a meal and think we should catch up on our emails, scroll through Tik Tok or binge our favorite show at the same time. Instead of plugging into technology, plug into your food.
• Deepen your senses while you eat. Take a minute to stop and look at the vibrant colors of your ingredients, smell the aromas, and savor the flavor and texture of your food. 
• Listen to your body’s hunger cues. Are you actually feeling hunger pains or are you thirsty? Are you just snacking because you are bored, stressed or passing time? This will help you be more mindful of every snack and meal. 
• Slow down. Inhaling your food and being the first one to finish at the table is not a victory! If you find yourself eating very quickly, challenge yourself to slow it down. Take very slow bites, try to taste the food in your mouth and be the last to finish rather than the first. When you feel full, put your fork down and pause.
• Practice gratitude. Being thankful and grateful for the people that made your food, the farmers that grew the produce you are eating, the local and national food companies that have made your food, the chefs that came up with the interesting recipes for you to enjoy, or just your family members that prepared your food. Or maybe you are grateful you have access to incredible produce, interesting options at your local grocery stores or can create interesting meals and recipes for yourself and your family. This gratitude practice will help you be more mindful of your food.
• Keep a food journal or diary. Practicing all of the strategies above and keeping a daily food journal or diary even if for a period of time can enhance your mindful eating practice. 
• Connect with nature by exploring your local gardens, farms and growers.

If you would like to use technology as a support, there are several apps to assist in your mindful eating goals.  Insight Timer and Headspace are two common meditation and mindfulness apps that offer content on mindful eating. We hope you feel encouraged and enlightened to start your mindful eating journey on your next trip into Nino’s! 

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