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Improve Your Health: 5 Tips for Mindful Eating

Kristin Hoppe

We live in a fast-paced, busy world where sitting down for a meal is often not our main priority. So what ends up happening? We eat in our cars, at our desks at work, or while rushing off to the next event. Our bodies respond physically to the mindless eating by absorbing fewer nutrients and disturbing digestion.

By Kristin Hoppe
Certified Nutrition Consultant
Winner SFGate’s BayList 2010 for Best Nutritionist

Do You Know Even Know that Food is Going in Your Mouth?

Unconscious eating can lead to weight gain, fatigue, moodiness and a variety of other health issues. Fortunately, focusing on not only with what we eat, but the way we eat can help create healthy eating habits, a healthy body, and a healthy life.

5 Easy Tips to Bring Mindfulness into Your Eating Habits

What simple steps can we do to bring mindfulness into our eating habits? Try these 5 easy tips, take notice of how you feel, and learn from the effects:

1. Sit down at a table, away from the TV and computer to eat your meal.

2. Focus on your breathe before, during and after each meal. The simple act of breathing can relieve stress and improve digestion.

3. Eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and pay attention to each bite. How much food do you need to get the feeling and satisfaction you are looking for? Pay attention to your thoughts as you eat. Ask yourself “What am I really wanting here?”

4. After your meal, sit up straight; close your eyes and take a few deep breathes. Bring your attention back into your body. Pay attention to how you feel. Full? Satisfied? Still hungry? Would you eat more next time? Less? Something different? Notice what added satiety to your meal: was it taste, texture, look?

5. Reflect on your eating experience, always nurturing yourself without judgment. Play with it! If you feel you ate too fast, try eating slower next time. If something upset your stomach, take note. Experiment with different types and tastes of foods to add to your future eating experiences.

Remember, every conscious bite you take is an opportunity to learn about yourself, your body, your habits, and your life. As you cultivate this awareness, you will become more conscious of your choices and subsequently gain more power over them. Power in your choices equals freedom; whatever you choose!
Kristin Hoppe, BS, NC, is a Certified Nutrition Consultant, Educator, and Natural Chef. She received her nutrition and culinary training from Bauman College, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Lafayette College.

Her practice, Food Therapy, is dedicated to improving people’s health through an inspiring and comprehensive nutritional approach that celebrates food. Kristin takes a holistic approach to health, providing clients with coaching and nutrition programs designed to facilitate healing with lasting results. She specializes in weight management, food allergies, digestive disorders, fatigue, depression & anxiety, and detoxification & cleansing. Please visit FoodTherapySF to learn more.

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