Eating with Intention

By Heather Hamilton, PhD., LMHC, NCC, DCC | ©2022BreakThrough!

In today’s hectic world it’s easier than ever to slip into poor eating habits that lead to prediabetes, obesity, and other health-related problems. The good news is that WE CAN RECOVER! We simply need to slow down and be mindful of whether we are eating intentionally to improve our mental health and address weight problems. The explosion of fast food and convenience stores has enabled us to eat on the run. But while this may align with our career or other demands, it’s hard on our health. To regain health it’s time to shift our consumption toward freshly prepared foods free of preservatives, chemicals, and ingredients that confuse our brain and result in weight gain.

Clever and Flashy Marketing

Healthy nutritious food doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. At the core of mindful and intentional eating is learning new shopping habits:

Avoid shopping when you’re hungry
Have a plan place before entering the store
Avoid the temptations of clever end-stacks, 3-for-1 deals, and strategically targeted marketing

There’s an old belief that shopping the outside perimeter of a grocery store is typically healthier. In other words, shopping in the produce and dairy sections as opposed to the cluster of center aisles where most of the canned, processed and packaged foods are located. Another strategy might be to shop locally, make smaller purchases and focus on the size or portions of servings.

Eating with Intention Improves Food Absorption and Overall Nutrition

Enjoying food in a mindful way can be as simple as eating with all of the senses. Focusing on the food that you’re consuming and how it nurtures your body can help circumvent emotional eating. Slowing down the eating process can aid digestion and result in better food absorption and improved overall nutrition. More importantly by slowing down, the stomach can signal your brain that you’re full and help curb over-eating tendencies. Make a point to sit down for meals however short, and give yourself a break from distracting electronic devices and background. noise.