MAINTAINING MINDFULNESS THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS: THE GIFT OF A MINDFUL MEAL
In the throes of the holiday season, it’s easy to push your nutrition goals to the side and tell yourself you’ll gear up to tackle those big goals in the New Year. But in the spirit of flexible nutrition, we find that this is the perfect time to work on building important skills around eating and making food choices as well as improving your relationship with food.
Staying in tune with your hunger cues, slowing down and enjoying a good meal and being mindful about your food choices are all part of this. We’re breaking down what it means to build and practice mindful eating habits and how this is something you can start now, whether you’re chasing big goals or not.
WHAT IS A MINDFUL MEAL AND HOW TO HAVE ONE
The majority of meals today are eaten at a desk while typing on a computer, in a car while driving in traffic, or taking hurried bites in between helping kids with various tasks. Slowing down and focusing on eating a mindful meal is challenging, but also crucial to developing a healthy relationship with food.
You have probably heard of Mindful Eating. Mindful Eating is keeping an in-the-moment awareness of the food and drink you consume. Mindful eating focuses on observing how food makes you feel as you are eating it, and making observations without judgment.
A mindful meal is one where you’re choosing to eat based on your body’s hunger cues and you’re setting aside time for that meal, without doing anything else while eating. It requires being comfortably hungry, 20 minutes of uninterrupted time, and no distractions. During this mindful meal you should sit down at a table without anything but your food.
An “official” mindful meal has a lot of requirements, but that doesn’t mean we can’t practice mindful eating regardless of our circumstances. A mindful meal also can be one where you take breaths between bites, listen in to your hunger and fullness cues, and try to stay present with your food by removing distractions. A mindful meal can help us to pull from habits we have created (drinking water, prioritizing protein, eating fruits and veggies) and also implement new behaviors that focus more on mindfulness.
You probably won’t feel successful the first few times you attempt a mindful meal, and that is because it’s a new skill! Building skills takes time and practice. Remember that you are working to change current behaviors and learn new ones, so give yourself some time and be patient with the process.
MINDFUL EATING SKILLS
Eat undistracted - without the TV, your phone, or an audiobook on. No multitasking.
Eat your meal sitting down at a table and using a real plate and utensils
Set down your utensils, take a deep breath, or take a sip of water between bites
Savor your food: pay attention to how your food tastes, the textures, the smells, and how your body feels while eating rather than shoveling in bite after bite so you can continue tackling your to do list
Check in with your hunger and your fullness between bites or portions
Make each meal last one minute longer than the last; try not to rush by challenging yourself to use the full 20 minutes to enjoy your food.
A POST MEAL ASSESSMENT
After you finish your meal, take a few minutes and ponder these questions to gauge where you are at with your mindful eating practice and learn what skills you may need to work on. Ask yourself these questions:
How satisfying is this food to you?
Can you feel your hunger dissipate?
What is your fullness level at the end of the meal?
WAYS TO PRACTICE BEING MINDFUL
As cheesy as it seems, having a mindful meal requires some self-evaluation and reflection. Just as a mindful meal takes time to enjoy, mindful eating skills take time to build. And if you’re someone who needs extra accountability, journaling about your meal or evaluating yourself with these questions offers a great way to do that and help you get focused on eating. Soon, you can start to answer these questions in your head during or after your meal.
REFLECTING ON YOUR MEAL
What was my favorite part of the meal?
Did the food I ate satisfy my cravings or desires?
Did I spend adequate time enjoying my meal?
What did I think about as I ate?
REFLECTING ON YOUR MINDFUL EATING SKILLS
Did I pause between bites?
Did I intentionally put down my utensils while eating?
Did I chew my food adequately before swallowing?
Did I keep my thoughts focused on my meal?
HONORING HUNGER AND FULLNESS CUES
Did I feel my hunger levels change throughout the meal?
Do I feel that I honored my fullness levels at the end of the meal?
Did the food I ate satisfy my hunger?
In the middle of the holiday season, it can be tough to slow down and have a mindful meal. Many meals are enjoyed with family and friends and there tends to be lots of snacking and mindless eating around a spread of food. But, remember that part of enjoying a nice meal with your family and friends is also tasting the food that you’re eating and appreciating the time of year that you’re celebrating. Developing mindful eating practices will allow you to not only slow down and enjoy the season but also enjoy the great food you’re eating without the guilt or feeling overfull after every holiday meal
We are committed coaches who work with committed clients and love nothing more than helping our clients find a sustainable approach to nutrition that allows them to work towards their goals without white-knuckling their way through yo-yo diets. Learn more about our KLN team here!