• Try taking smaller first portions than you usually would. (Keep serving bowls out of sight.)
• Eat more slowly than you usually would, paying full attention to each bite, and pausing between bites, letting the flavors dissipate before the next bite.
• Aim to eat until you are 4/5 full, a principle associated with the island of Okinawa, known for its long-lived and healthy population. A proverb translates as something like, “The first four-fifths are to nourish you, the last fifth will make the doctor wealthy.”
• If you need to talk, talk while you’re pausing. Stop talking when you’re eating.
• When you’ve eaten the first portions, pause and consult the stomach: How full is it? Do you need more? How much more?
• Adjust second portions to this information. Maybe you’re hungry for another cup of food. Maybe you only need two more bites of a food to feel satisfied.
For more mindful eating tips visit:
• Practicing Mindfulness at the Table
Adapted with permission from Mindful Eating-Conscious Living
