THE MOST IMPORTANT NUTRITION SKILL YOU CAN BUILD: ENJOYING AN INTENTIONAL MEAL
As humans, we’re always looking for the quickest fix: the one thing we can do to solve all of our problems and make life easier. Hopefully you don’t need me to tell you that one thing doesn’t exist (because it doesn’t). However, when it comes to addressing challenges we may face with feeling in control of our nutrition - overcoming a cycle of restricting and binging, being able to enjoy foods we love without overdoing it, removing guilt and the idea of “good” and “bad” foods, etc.
DEVELOPING INTENTIONAL EATING HABITS IS ABOUT AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET TO A MAGIC SOLUTION.
It’s easy to overlook intentional eating habits as something boring and unimportant when compared to the wealth of other nutrition information available to us. But the truth is that when situations arise where you can’t follow your specific nutrition plan, can’t track your food, or don’t have any control over your food choices, intentional eating skills are the one thing you will always have in your toolbox, no matter where you are.
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 judgement.
INTENTIONAL EATING || is the term we prefer to use. Intentional eating draws on mindful eating habits and also focuses on being intentional with your eating habits rather than automatic. Many of our meals or snacks are impulsive or automatic - we feel a tinge of hunger so we grab what is in front of us and eat. Being intentional also includes being more in tune with your hunger and fullness signals before and after you eat.
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 an intentional meal is challenging, but also crucial to developing a healthy relationship with food.
Cultivating these eating habits does not need to happen independently of tracking your macros or working towards your body composition or performance goals. Focusing on developing and practicing intentional eating skills is not only something that will help you as you work towards your specific goals; it is also what will allow you to maintain progress long term as the time comes to move away from tracking and towards less structured eating.
HOW TO PRACTICE INTENTIONAL MEALS
As is the case with cultivating any skill, this takes time. You probably won’t go from eating a 3-minute meal in your car while also talking on the phone to a peaceful, seated 10-minute meal right away. In fact, you may never get to that point! But we can take steps to make each meal more intentional than the last.
MINDFUL EATING HABITS TO PRACTICE
Reading this list all at once will result in overwhelm. The goal is not to do all of the things and practice all of these skills at once, but to build on these skills week by week.
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
Check in with your hunger and your fullness between bites or portions
Make each meal last one minute longer than the last. Try to take 10-20 minutes to enjoy each meal.
Bringing intentionality into the equation includes practicing the mindful eating habits above, and also being more aware of why you are even eating. Are you eating because this is your scheduled meal time, even though you may not actually feel hungry? Or are you eating because you feel emotional and that emotion is driving cravings?
As cheesy as it seems, enjoying an intentional, mindful meal requires some self-evaluation and reflection. And just as an intentional meal takes time to enjoy, these eating skills take time to build.
If you want to start practicing enjoying one Intentional Meal at a time, we have a free download to help you walk through the process. Our coaches and clients are using the month of April as an opportunity to hone in on our Intentional Eating skills and we hope you’ll join us!