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Mindful Eating

Denise Teague, CHHC deniseteaguehealthcoach.net

Welcome! Food goes far beyond satiating hunger at meal times. Providing our bodies with the nutrients it needs to thrive is a very special ritual — one that should be treated special.

Creating your eating ritual to be one of mindfulness and honor is the key to a healthy relationship with food.

Practicing Mindful Eating not only transforms your health, but your relationship with the foods you ingest, as well. Happy eating!

7 Tips to Eat More Mindfully

Listen To Your Body

When you feel hunger approaching, stop and ask yourself what your body is asking for. What is it needing for nourishment?

Ask what would give you energy, what would sustain you, what would make you feel satisfied and well-nourished. Is it asking for a raw salad, or something more warming?

When you get this tip under wraps, your eating experience will change tremendously.

Topic Tip Recap

Check in with yourself. When you feel hunger — listen deeply to what your body is asking for.

“Restore your attention or bring it to a new level by dramatically slowing down whatever

you’re doing.”

― S H A R O N S A L Z B E R G

Give Gratitude

Instead of diving in, take some time to appreciate the meal you have. Pause — enjoy the smells, the aesthetics, and imagine the dedicated farmer who nourished and grew it for you to eat.

Give gratitude for your meal. Enjoying your meal at this deeper level will create a rich, spiritual experience between you and your food. Allow it to nourish you, and enjoy the process.

Before you begin your meal, have a silent moment of gratitude for the nourishment you have been blessed with. Focus on your gratitude throughout the meal for an enjoyable experience.

Topic Tip Recap

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”

― A M I T R A Y

Breathe In our daily hustle and bustle, we sometimes forget to slow down and enjoy our meals. Slowing down helps you to become more aware of your experience, increasing the mindfulness of your task.

Pay attention to your breathing throughout your meals. Take the time to breathe deeply. Deep breathing helps with combatting stress, which is crucial in your overall health. Ingesting your food with mindfulness will aid in its healthy digestion, which will in turn increase your eating experience.

Topic Tip Recap

Take deep breaths before each meal. Be intentional about your presence. Be aware of your breathing throughout each meal. Place your fork down between bites and taking your time.

“Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on

earth will be filled with glory.”

― B E T T Y S M I T H

Eat Well It is truly incredible the benefits our bodies reap when we eat well and mindfully.

The state of your mindset while eating has as much importance as the quality of food you put into your body. Eating with sadness and anxiety will have a different impact on your digestion and nourishment as eating the same meal with gratitude and love.

While making healthy food choices is incredibly important — be mindful of the state of your mindset each time you eat.

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Focus on the state of your mind each time you eat. We all experience bad days — so try extra hard on the off days. Eat with love, gratitude, and excitement that you are nourishing your treasured body.

“We’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are.”

― B I L L W A T T E R S O N

Move Your Body

Physical activity helps us in more ways than feeling fit. Being active creates the opportunity for our bodies to experience balance. In this balance, we can learn the art of mindfulness on a deeper level.

Be it yoga, Pilates, tai chi, or another form of energy centered exercise — you will tap into yourself on a deeper level and learn how to listen to your inner voice. Listening to this voice will be a powerful tool in mindful eating (and living).

Topic Tip Recap

Practice movement regularly to aid in mindfulness. Learn to listen to your voice, and use it to be mindful in all you do.

“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it,

not against it.”

— E C K H A R T T O L L E

Chew Your Food

A great way to cut down on digestive issues such as bloating & constipation is to chew your food thoroughly. This practice also aids in mindful eating and assists in appreciating every bite to the fullest extent.

Chew your food well. Chew each bite until it is completely broken down, allowing your digestive tract to not have to tackle the job.

Topic Tip Recap

Chew your food well. Focus on each flavor, texture, and color. Chew until your food is no longer whole. Enjoy every bite as long as you can!

“The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness.

Mindfulness means being awake. It means knowing what you are doing.”

― J O N K A B A T - Z I N N

Forgive Yourself

At times, we all make choices with our meals that we may not be proud of. It is crucial for you to forgive yourself, and move on. It is time to ditch the mindset that is not serving you!

To help with making less of these kind of choices, ask yourself before every meal if what you have prepared will serve you to reach your goal of optimal health. This one really works for me.

Topic Tip Recap

Forgive yourself. Always. Ask yourself before every meal — will this serve my goal of optimal health?

Meet Your Coach I am a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach, Retired Fitness Competitor, Wife, and Mother of Two girls; my youngest is a Special Needs Child. I have degrees in Psychology and Basic Nutrition, along with a certification in Sports Nutrition and educated in over 100 different diet theories. I’d like to help you be the healthier version of yourself. Would you like some assistance?

Denise Teague, CHHC

Holistic Health and Lifestyle Coach Website: www.deniseteaguehealthcoach.net Email: deniseteague2011@gmail.com

Disclaimer I do not provide the services of a licensed dietician or nutritionist, information received should not be seen as medical or nursing advice and is not meant to take the place of seeing licensed health professionals.