1. Recognize Signs of Hunger
Do you feel tired, sluggish, nauseous, or faint? Is your stomach growling and your mind wandering to thoughts of food, making it difficult to focus on tasks at hand? “These can all be signs of hunger that are often ignored,” Johnson says. It sounds simple, but recognizing what actual hunger feels like can help you eat more mindfully.
To do so, think about the last time you ate. “If it’s been more than a few hours or what you last ate was a lighter meal or snack, you’re probably physically hungry,” says Hartley.
2. Sit to Eat
It’s easy to lose track of how much you’re eating when you’re grazing the holiday buffet while chatting with friends. Ditto when you’re eating leftovers standing in front of the open refrigerator. When you sit down to eat, however, it can help you connect with the experience so you can better gauge how much time is passing and pay attention to what and why you’re eating, Johnson says.
“Avoid eating while you are distracted, as you will have a harder time eating mindfully when you are distracted by other tasks,” says Laura Cordella, RD, CDN, ambulatory dietitian at NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health Center in White Plains, New York. “While it is sometimes hard to take a moment to eat when you are busy with various holiday activities, it is so important that you take that time.”
So what happens when things are so hectic that you physically can’t eat a proper meal? “What’s most important is that you’re feeding yourself consistently and adequately,” Hartley says. So pack a snack or two to sustain you between errands when a sitting down isn’t on the table.