HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEWSLETTER T. 413.591.6729 F. 212.202.4907 well-concepts.com [email protected] MARCH 2020 M MINDFUL EATING, BITE BY BITE It’s March, month three of 2020, and a good time to take a closer look, perhaps a “mindful view”, of where you are in your 2020 wellness plan. We typically start the year with thoughts about how this year can be better, from food to fitness and overall joyfulness in general. March seems to be just the right time to take stock, and it’s perfect timing, as March is National Nutrition Month®, celebrated each year to provide focus on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and lifestyle habits. The theme for National Nutrition Month® 2020 is Eat Right, Bite by Bite, an excellent way to focus on what you’re eating, as well as your intentions, before, during and after you eat. In summary, assess where you are, approach it mindfully, and you are on your way to success! Read on for some thoughts and helpful tips to eating mindfully bite by bite. Have you ever finished a candy bar and wished you had just one more bite? Are you surprised when your hand hits the bottom of the popcorn bucket at the movies? Do you ever feel completely stuffed and fatigued after you eat? These are all symptoms of mindless or unconscious eating. Mindful Eating is eating with intention; a natural, healthy, and pleasurable activity when it’s done to satisfy hunger. The bottom line is that weight management is not just about what you eat. How you eat matters just as much. Choosing to eat “mindfully,” in other words, is giving meals and snacks your full attention, so that each bite will allow you to have optimal satisfaction and enjoyment without eating to excess. Mindful eating makes it possible for you to experience the difference between physical satisfaction and fullness. Mindful eating also allows you to feel more satisfied with smaller quantities of food. Learning to savor your food simply makes eating more pleasurable. Knowing what satisfies you and getting the most pleasure from your eating experiences are key factors for a lifetime of joyful eating. Simple Steps for Mindful Eating Try the following strategies to help you identify your body’s signals and truly enjoy your food: 1. Use the Hunger Scale Start by recognizing whether you’re hungry before you begin eating. Is it true hunger, or are you looking to food to satisfy an emotion? Be sure also to not wait too long to eat to the point where you’re famished. One of the keys to conscious eating is to keep your body adequately fed to avoid becoming overly hungry, which just makes practicing portion control that much harder. While you’re eating, check in with your hunger level throughout the meal. The goal should be to stop eating when you’re comfortably full and feeling energized. We want to avoid eating to the point of being uncomfortable and feeling sluggish. 2. Decide What to Eat, Mindfully Choose food that will satisfy both your body and your mind and aligns with your health and wellness goals. Satisfaction comes not just from fullness but from enjoying the taste of your food.