How to Answer When Food Calls You

You’ve probably heard about “mindful eating,” but like many of us, think to yourself, “I don’t have enough time and energy during the day to focus on something new so I will pay it NO mind!” Given our busy schedules, adding something else to our “to do” list seems impossible, but rather than think about mindful eating as a chore, think about it as a choice. 

IFIC Foundation research found that there are a multitude of factors that influence when, why, and how much we eat. But what are the signals and cues that are causing YOU to start and stop eating?

Researchers have found that the average person makes over 200 decisions about food every day. That might sound like a big number, but when you breakdown all of the small decisions that are centered on eating one meal, you can begin to see how all these food decisions add up. Don’t let the big number overwhelm you- you don’t need to try to change all of those decisions at once. 

Here are 4 easy tips to get more connected and aware of those food decisions you are making and becoming a “mindful eater”: 

1. Slow down the pace of your eating. 

An easy way to do this is by putting your fork or spoon down in between bites or take time to have a conversation with the people that you are eating with. You can also drink water in between courses (or even bites) to make sure you are not filling up too fast. 

2. Sit at a table when you eat your meals. 

When you eat in front of a distraction (like a TV) you can end up eating more than you need to because you are not aware of just how much you are eating. Set aside a place in your home that is distraction-free zone for sitting and enjoying meals. 

3. Become aware of your hunger cues. 

Of course, a growling stomach is an obvious cue that it’s time to eat, but the key to being mindful is being aware of the cues going into the meal. How hungry are you when you start? How full or satisfied are you when you leave the meal? 

It might help to think of a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being starving and 10 being stuffed like after a Thanksgiving meal). You should be eating when you are between a 4 and 8. You never want to be too far to any extreme. Eating when you are starving can cause you to make less than ideal decisions about how much and what type of food to eat. 

On the flip side, if you leave the meal at a 10, you’ve probably consumed too much food. Being satisfied and nourished after a meal doesn’t have to equate to a physical sense of fullness in your stomach. 

4. Use a food journal to keep track of how you're eating affects your mood. 

This can help you become aware of the times that you eat out of boredom, depression, or for other emotional reasons that you may not be aware of. Just keeping track of when and how much you are eating can go a long way towards becoming more aware of your food decisions. 

Bottom line, it’s easy to lose track of some of these tips when we are just trying to get food in our mouth before our next meeting at work, but there are ways to slowly become more cognizant of what, why, and how you are eating. 

Sarah Romotsky, RD, is the Director of Health & Wellness at the International Food Information Council. Sarah leads the development and implementation of strategic communication initiatives on science-based health and wellness topics. A native of Southern California, Sarah received a BA in Mass Communications from UC Berkeley and later completed the Dietetic Program at SF State University. 

Main Photo Credit: Nataliya Arzamasova/shutterstock.com; Second Photo Credit: Lucky Business/shutterstock.com; Third Photo Credit: LoloStock/shutterstock.com