1. Mindful Eating
The Benefits of
Mindful Eating
Empowers Choice
Learn To Listen /Pay
Attention To Your
Body
Craving Control
Develop Trust In
Yourself
Weight
Management And
Improved Health
Improved
Emotional
Regulation
Mark the mindful
squirrel

2. Steps To Mindful Eating
• Ask yourself why you are eating. Are really hungry? Are You
bored or stressed? Try waiting 20 minutes to eat.
• Create a soothing environment. Set the table with flowers,
put calm music on, dim the lights etc.
• Quit eating in front of the TV. It can cause you to eat 10%
more in calories at mealtime and 25% more at other times in
the day.
• Water all natural and does the body good. Take small sips
between bites of food.

3. Steps To Mindful Eating
Continued
• Pay attention as if it were the first time you were eating
this particular food. Take time to first notice the color and
texture of the food. Then smell it. Next, take a small bite
and feel the food with your tongue. Finally, chew it slowly
and swallow it.
• Put down your fork and take another small mindful bite
of food. Repeat through meal.
• Slow yourself down by eating with chopsticks, your non-
dominant hand, or by cutting your food into smaller bites

4. Steps To Mindful Eating
Continued
• Be grateful. Think about how the food got to your plate.
Be thankful.
• Accept your feelings. Take time to acknowledge your
feelings of guilt, boredom, or sadness etc. and then let
them go. Handel your thoughts like catching a small
fish. Catch it and release it.

5. Mindful Eating Exercises Class
Participation
• The Mindful Nut-Lets follow Mark the Mindful Squirrel
Handout 1
• The Chocolate Experiment
Handout 2
• Meal Time Meditation
Handout 3