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New Year, New You? How about just some mindfulness

Eating Mindfully For a New Year 
E. Taylor Engelke, MS, RDN, CD
Nutrimental Healthcare

During the holidays it can be very challenging to balance eating what we want, what we need, and what we are told to eat. The stress and schedule overload can lead us to an emotionally unhealthy place where our relationship with food begins to suffer. This starts to take a toll on our hunger cues, metabolism, and general well-being. However, there are a few tips and tricks that can help to maintain a healthy relationship with food, great state of mental well-being, and hopefully an unchanged waist line this new year.
  • Keep at least an arm’s length away from snacks and munchies
    • This will prevent mindless munching
  • Use a smaller plate when possible to trick your brain into thinking you are eating more than you are
  • Try to eat while sitting at the table with minimal distractions
    • This encourages you to eat with intention and attention, allowing you to listen to your body’s cues of fullness and enjoyment
  • Figure out which foods you like the most, then save room for those foods
  • Give yourself permission to eat your favorite foods!!
    • This gives you the power over the food to reduce guilt and trigger enjoyment, which will prevent overeating
    • Enjoy the look and smell of the foods, then the taste and texture of each bite as you focus on chewing
    • Sit down and eat when possible so you can really focus on the food (so not in front of the TV or computer), which will allow you to focus on your level of fullness as well
    • Pay special attention to how your body is feeling, then think about how YOU are feeling emotionally (Satisfied? Guilty? Joyful?)
  • Prioritize time for you: physical activity, plenty of fluids, getting enough rest, and other ways you like to de-stress will allow you to stay more connected to yourself and attuned to your body’s needs.

Subscribe to our Newletter at www.nutrimentalhealthcare.com to receive a free Tipsheet for how to eat mindfully!!

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