Some people call it mindful eating. While that’s a good term, I like to think of it as “getting as much pleasure as possible” from what I’m eating. That makes me feel like I’m getting real pleasure, and taking steps to get as much pleasure as possible is more motivating than creating rules for myself about what I can and can’t do when I eat.
By far, being present while eating, or mindful eating, is the eating habit I have to work on, especially when I’m super busy, stressed, excited, or with other people.
These strategies are simple and subtle. They always help me remember to focus on my food and get as much pleasure out of it as I can.
Here are 11 ways to enjoy your food more…
1. chew
Chewing food about 20 times is a definite way to extract pleasure. This seriously slows me down. If I’m in a hurry, it reminds me not to rush to eat because I’ll miss out on the experience.
Normally a human vacuum cleaner inhaling food, this is a habit I have to think about and make a game out of it. However, by chewing, I can notice the favors of the food. I can identify the ingredients. I can feel the texture and the temperature. All of this really contributes to my feeling whole and satisfied…whether I’m indulging in a treat or eating the same breakfast I’ve had for the last 7 days in a row.
Chewing also helps you slow down if you’re with other people so you’re not the first to finish your meal. That way, you won’t be tempted to eat more just because everyone else is still eating.
2. Change hands.
Making things harder is a great way to force yourself to pay attention to what you’re doing. An easy way to do this is to force yourself to eat with your non-dominant hand. You can start by doing this with smaller meals. It’s also a good tip to try when you’re eating with other people and want to focus on eating so you don’t mindlessly eat just because the other person is eating.
3. Eat with chopsticks.
Like changing hands, this makes things a bit more challenging. Plus, you can only have so much in one bite.
When I use chopsticks, I focus more on choosing the bites. For example, if I’m having a stir fry, I’ll choose the bell peppers, then the onions, then the mushrooms, etc. This makes each part enjoyable.
Eating with chopsticks becomes very complicated if you are eating a sandwich.
I read a story about a tech company that asked a group of their employees to use chopsticks exclusively for a week as a mindfulness exercise. Although weight loss was not the goal, everyone in the office lost weight and several reported life-changing accomplishments as a result of the project.
4. Put your fork between each penis.
Putting down your fork between bites is an excellent addition to the chewing habit. The act of putting down your fork forces you to focus on chewing your food rather than allowing you to mindlessly choose your plate for your next bite. It also encourages you to slow down and pay more attention to the flavor of your food, instead of just gobbling it up as quickly as possible.
5. Close your eyes.
Whether just for the first few bites or the entire meal, close your eyes as you chew. Now you can really focus on the flavors, the ingredients and how they interact, and the texture as it changes. In a world of distractions, closing your eyes gives you control over your experience.
6. Identify each ingredient.
Just like a professional chef or taste tester, it can be fun to identify each flavor and what you’re eating. If it’s strawberry ice cream, can you taste the strawberries? What about milk or cream? If it’s a marinated steak, can you tell the ingredients in the marinade? Is it hot, spicy or salty?
7. Put your food on a plate.
I am guilty of eating from the container or bag often when I am alone. Taking out dishes seems unnecessary. However, putting food on a plate instead of eating out of a bag helps me to be aware of what I am eating and feel more satisfied with a smaller amount. If I finish my plate, that’s one thing. But if I finish the whole container, that could be double the amount of food.
8. Sit down.
Just like eating from the bowl, I often like to stand while eating because I’m in a hurry, or sitting seems unnecessary. Honestly, what is so important in my life that I don’t have time to take 15 minutes to stop and nourish myself? Sitting tells our mind to focus on the activity instead of thinking about rushing to the next one.
9. Make a big fuss.
If you’re sitting down and eating off a plate, giving yourself the food you crave the most, why not celebrate? You could die tomorrow and you would have missed the opportunity to really get the greatest pleasure of your life! Seriously speaking, if you are eating, you are giving your body energy to stay alive. If you didn’t eat, you would eventually lose energy and die. The reason you can be alive and active in your life is to take care of your body…and what a fun way to do it.
Get out the pretty china. Get the fancy fork. Prepare the table. Light a candle. This is especially important if you’re indulging in something you’re really looking forward to.
10. Shut up.
Turn off the TV, computer, and other distractions to eat quietly. Like closing your eyes, it helps eliminate distractions. You can hear the voice in her head more easily and you can guide her to focus on the flavors in her mouth.
11. Be thankful.
Consider what it took for you to eat the food. Not only did the sun and rain nurture the vegetables, fruits, grains, and animals, but also the labor that goes into harvesting, processing, packing, shipping, delivering, storing, and offering or service your food. It’s very important. It’s no small feat to deliver that amount of food to people around the world every day.
All that effort is for you. It’s so you can have the food you want, when you want it. Consider giving thanks for how fortunate you are to have such affordable food and the means to pay for what you have.
