In this day and age, diets and workout routines are flying in and out of trend. We are constantly searching for the latest and greatest tricks to help us slim down and get the perfect body that we are searching for. “I’ll start eating better Monday,” we tell ourselves. But it never fails that Mondays come and go without any change of habit; that or you start the week off on the right foot, then Thursday rolls around and it all goes down the drain. Dieting and workout routines are tough make habit, but eating mindfully allows you to keep up with the healthy lifestyle you try to lead at least once a week.

1. Chew Your Food Slowly

Being mindful of the number of bites that you take encourages you to eat an appropriate amount of food. Chewing slowly tricks your mind into thinking that it is fuller faster. As a result, you will eat what your body can handle, not what your eyes think you can stomach. Try counting the number of bites that you take, or even try making your way through the entire alphabet for each forkful of food you intake.

2. Look at The Ingredients

The grocery store has the unfair capacity to be our best friend and worst enemy at the same time. Some of our favorite foods come in the form of a process-filled package. The goal is to eat as few ingredients as possible, ensuring that you are eating clean and unprocessed foods. It is easy to get caught up in the calories, sugars, and sodium content, but allow yourself to venture down to the ingredient list. Look for labels that contain no more than five ingredients. These products are the ones that tend to be all-natural and have minimal procedures, making them healthier by default. These foods require less digestion, allowing you to expend your energy elsewhere throughout the day.

3. Eat at The Kitchen Table

We are all culprits of trying to watch TV, talk on the phone, or even drive during a meal, particularly dinner. Unfortunately, dinner is typically the largest meal of the day, which means that our caloric intake is much higher. After a long day of potentially not eating much, dinner offers us a “cheat” meal, or a designated time when we can justifiably stuff our faces. We watch the news, check our emails, or jump in the car on the way to the store while mindlessly shoveling food into our mouths to make sure we have something in our stomach for the day. Before we know it, 4 servings are gone and we have nothing but a sad, plump belly to show for it. Eating at the kitchen table, preferably with other people, will help you focus on exactly what you are putting into your body and will actually help decrease the pace at which you are doing so. Bonus tip: give yourself at least 30 minutes to enjoy a meal. If you are rushed, you will likely eat too quickly for your body to process all that it is taking in.

So please, grub up!! But by following these mindful eating habits, you will find yourself enjoying food more, while also feeling clean and healthy afterwards.

Bon Appetit!