Mindful Eating: Questions to Ask Yourself Pre-Meal

More great advice from Nutrisystem Weight Loss Coach Beth: How many times do you eat food without truly paying attention to it? Eating on the go, while driving, in front of the TV are all commonplace occurrences in our busy lives. How often do you pay attention to your meal—and only your meal? We are constantly in motion and eating so quickly that we rarely have time to let our bodies tell us we’re full and we can stop eating. Today, is about mindful eating.

Even though we’re busy, it’s important to your weight loss effort, and overall health, to take the time to really pay attention to your food and meals at least twice a day. Some experts say that proper digestion can even begin with the simple act of preparing your foods—the brain starts to receive cues that the body is about to eat, and lets the stomach know to get ready to receive food.

So take the time to see your food, smell it, enjoy the process of preparing the ingredients, the smell of it cooking. Appreciate the meal you’re about to enjoy. When you sit down at your meal, take your time to eat slowly and savor it. We aren’t talking an hour here, it can be just a few spare minutes to really appreciate the gift of food. Take the time to chew it properly. Sip a drink between bites. Savor it!

Another thing is to be mindful about what you’re eating. Ask yourself these questions before deciding what you will eat:

• What will it do for me?
• What affect will it have on my body, my weight, my health?
• How will I feel after I eat it?
• Will I feel energized and healthy or sluggish and guilty?

This all can help you make good decisions now, and in the future!