Eating Intuitively &
Mindfully
April 25th, 2014
Monica Bashaw, MScA, Intern in Dietetics & Human Nutrition
Edited by: Mary Hendrickson-Nelson, MSc, RD
Reflect…
• How do you know WHEN to eat?
• How do you choose WHAT to eat?
• How do you know HOW MUCH to serve yourself?
• HOW do you eat?
• How do you know WHEN to stop eating?
Common Answers
• How do you know WHEN to eat?
• Hunger signals, clock, break time at work, my partner has dinner
on the table, bored, visual or scent cues
• How do you choose WHAT to eat?
• Cravings/taste, availability, convenience, price, comfort, nutrition
• How do you know HOW MUCH to serve yourself?
• Fill the plate, fill ¾ bowl, habit, I don’t serve myself (Ex.
cafeteria/restaurant or partner serves), package size
• HOW do you eat?
• On the go, with co-workers/family, in front of movie/TV, browsing
internet, distracted
• How do you know WHEN to stop eating?
• Plate/bowl is empty, TV show is over, feelings of fullness/stuffed,
break is over
Where do your cues fall?
EMOTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL CUES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Clock, habits
Sensory stimuli
Bored
Partner serves/offers food
Availability/free
Emotional eating - comfort
Serving size based on plate or
bowl size/package size
• Cafeteria/restaurant portions
• Distractions present while
eating
• Finish eating when plate is
empty, time is up, TV show
finished, etc.
PHYSICAL/MINDFUL CUES
• Body’s hunger cues
• Choose nourishing foods to
fuel body
• Using mindful techniques
while eating – being
present and savouring the
eating experience
• No distractions while
eating
• Body’s satiety cues
Are you TRULY hungry?
APPETITE
HUNGER
• “Biological response to
replenish body’s energy
reserves”
• “A desire or interest to eat a
specific food, which is
usually sweet, salty, or fatty”
• Triggers = low blood sugar,
growling stomach, etc.
• Gradual onset
• Appears several hours after
last meal
• Diminishes with eating
• Satisfied with ANY type of
food
• Triggers = emotions, sensory
experiences, environmental
stimuli
• Rapid onset
• Not time dependent
• May persist after eating
• Only satisfied with specific
foods
http://blog.nasm.org/12-days-of-fitness/fitness-tips/simple-nutritional-strategies-part-1/
Focusing on PHYSICAL Cues
HUNGER SCALE
http://the-exercist.tumblr.com/post/52407446001/the-hunger-scale-is-an-intuitive-eating-guide-to-help
We Aren’t Listening!
 Brian Wansink, PH.D.
Stale Popcorn
Bottomless Bowl
• https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=8Ogsmh_cze
Y
• 6:10 – 9:25
• https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=8Ogsmh_cze
Y
• 9:58 – 12:18
http://bodybymitch.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/mindlesseating.jpg
Barriers
• Habits
• Strategies  Challenge your standard portion size, use smaller
bowls and plates, and taller/narrower glasses
Which black dot is bigger?
http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/images/pictures/illusions/delboeufillusion.jpg
Barriers cont.
• Same portion, different sized plates
“The EYES not the
STOMACH count
calories”
• Take advantage of the optical illusion!
http://goodnesssuperfoods.com.au/2012/02/struggling-with-portion-control-try-this-little-mind-trick/
Barriers cont.
• Which glass contains more liquid?
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/2013/great-moments-in-mathematical-invention/
Barriers Cont.
• Package size ≠ portion size
• Strategy  Don’t snack out of the package
• “Out of sight, out of mind”
• Strategy  Put leftovers away before sitting down to eat
• Bored
• Strategies  Distract yourself by going for a walk,
calling a friend, etc.
• Availability
• Strategy  Ask yourself “Am I truly hungry?”
Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (2012). Intuitive eating: A revolutionary program that works. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Wansink, B. (2007). Why we eat more than we think: Mindless eating. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Barriers Cont.
• Fatigue
• Strategy  Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep
Knutson, K.L. (2012). Does inadequate sleep play a role in vulnerability to obesity? American Journal of Human Biology,24(3), 361-371.
Barriers Cont.
• Sensory stimuli
• Strategies  Ask yourself “Hunger or Appetite?”, remove yourself
from the environment, sip on water as a distraction, organize
fridge and cupboards so healthy food appears first
• Pre-served portions
• Strategies  Don’t feel you have to finish your
plate, take leftovers home, pause during meal and
ask yourself “Where am I on the hunger scale?”
• Emotional eating
• Strategies  Identify your comfort foods, focus on eating them
mindfully, do not restrict them
Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (2012). Intuitive eating: A revolutionary program that works. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Wansink, B. (2007). Why we eat more than we think: Mindless eating. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Barriers Cont.
• Ravenous after work
• Strategies?
• Have easy to store snacks on hand at work
• Nuts, oatmeal, fruit, cereal, peanut butter, protein powder,
cheese and crackers, yogurt
• Your snack should depend on how long until your next meal
• 1 hour  fruit
• Several hours  include a source of protein
• Avoid the grocery store on the way home
• Have ready to eat healthy snacks available at home
• Pre-cut up fruit, veggies + hummus, cubed cheese
Barriers Cont.
• Distracted eating
• Strategy  Mindful eating approach
• How to practice MINDFUL EATING
• Remove distractions
• Savour every bite
• Use all of your senses while
eating
• Be grateful
Video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpyxEwl_10A
Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (2012). Intuitive eating: A revolutionary program that works. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Dr. Alber’s mindful eating activity
• Step 1: Put a Hershey’s Kiss in your hand, and feel the weight
of it. Describe it to yourself – the shape, the color. Then listen
to the crinkle of foil as you open it.
• Step 2: Bring it up to your nose and smell it, taking deep
whiffs of the aroma and thinking about the memories that
emerge.
• Step 3: Put the whole Kiss into your mouth. Notice the taste,
the texture, and how it changes, how it melts in your mouth.
Finally notice how it feels as you swallow it.
http://eatingmindfully.com/
Other Helpful Tips
• When serving food buffet style, start with vegetables, then
meat and starch items
• Keep vegetables/salad on the table during meals
• Keep a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table
• Do you find it hard to slow down at meal times?
• Drink calorie-free beverages more often (esp water!)
Wansink, B. (2007). Why we eat more than we think: Mindless eating. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Other Helpful Tips
• Do you snack while cooking?
• Just a few bites of dessert can satisfy a craving
• Get active!
Joseph, R. J., Alonso-Alonso, M., Bond, D.S., Pascual-Leone, A., & Blackburn, G.L. (2011). The neurocognitive
connection between physical activity and eating behavior. Obesity reviews , 12, 800-812.
Shifting Away From the Dieting Mentality
• Dieting/calorie counting DON’T work and do MORE HARM
than good
Research shows that DIETING PREDICTS the following…
Age Group
Factor
Kids
Dieting may promote weight gain (Field, 2003).
Adolescents
Dieting is the most important predictor of new eating
disorders (Patton, 1999).
Teens
Dieting predicted weight gain, disordered eating, an
overweight status & eating disorders; n > 2,500 (Neumark
& Sztainer, 2006).
Adults
Dieting is a predictor of weight gain (Mann 2007)
Twins
Dieting, independent of genetics, is a predictor of weight
gain (Pietilainen, 2011).
http://beverageinstitute.org/us/webinar/intuitive-eating-creating-a-healthy-relationship-with-food-mind-and-body/
Why Diets DON’T Work!!!
http://www.intuitive-nutrition.com/the-vicious-diet-cycle/
New Trends in Weight Loss
• MINDFUL Eating
• Learn to trust yourself
• Internal/physical cues
• Engage your senses
• Enjoy the experience
• Be aware of your environment
• What are the benefits?
Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (2012). Intuitive eating: A revolutionary program that works. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Wansink, B. (2007). Why we eat more than we think: Mindless eating. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
What about nutrition?
• All foods fit, focus on food that nourishes your body
• Manage your environment
• Aim for “balanced plate/bowl”
• ½ vegetable, ¼ grain, ¼ protein
• Serving of dairy + fruit
+
http://thephotographer4you.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/glass-of-milk.jpg
http://baby-recipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/banana.jpg
Balanced plate and bowl from Mac Campus Cookbook, unpublished.
Start TODAY!
• What are you going to plan to do differently…
• When you feel hungry
• When eating
• In regards to your food environment
http://healthateverysizeblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/supporter-indd.jpg
Create a SMART Goal
• What are you going to plan to do differently…
Example:
“Starting this week, on Tuesdays and
Thursdays at work, I am going to focus on
eating lunch mindfully”
http://fitfunctionalfamilies.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/14198855-chalk-drawing-of-smart-goalsacronym-for-specific-measurable-achievable-realistic-and-timely-on-a-bl.jpg
Thank you!