Your Attention Is Affecting Your Appetite
Mindful eating begins before the first bite
Most people think mindful eating is just about eating slowly.
And yes, slowing down helps. But mindfulness around food begins long before the first bite.
It begins with your attention.
What you repeatedly look at, listen to, and think about affects your cravings more than you may realize.
Think about how often unhealthy foods are placed directly in front of us — commercials, social media, apps, billboards, even games. Many phone games use candy, desserts, bright colors, rewards, and excitement to keep your attention focused on sugary foods without you even realizing it. If you spend half an hour playing a game filled with candy and sweets, your mind has been focusing on those images the entire time.
The same thing happens with food commercials.
Notice how they work. The camera zooms in slowly on melted cheese stretching off a pizza slice. Someone happily licking an ice cream cone Everything glistens. The people eating the food are usually healthy-looking, smiling, attractive, and having fun.
The message is subtle but powerful:
“This food equals pleasure, comfort, happiness, connection.”
Mindfulness means becoming aware of what is influencing your mind.
But mindful eating is not only about avoiding unhealthy influences. It is also about deeply experiencing nourishing foods.
Mindfulness can begin while preparing the food itself.
One of my favorite things to prepare is red cabbage or fresh red beets. When you slice them open, the colors and patterns are beautiful — deep purples, reds, rings, swirls, textures. Listen to the crisp crunch as the knife cuts through them. Notice their earthy smell. Think about the nourishment and energy they are offering your body. Feel gratitude for that nourishment and the deliciousness of the food you will soon be eating.
Then when you eat, slow down enough to truly experience it.
Taste the flavors fully. Notice the texture as you chew. If you exhale gently through your nose while chewing slowly, it will enhance the flavor dramatically. Sometimes even closing your eyes for a moment while chewing allows you to focus more completely on the experience of eating.
Often we rush through meals while distracted by phones, television, stress, or conversations — and then wonder why we don’t feel satisfied afterward.
Mindfulness changes that.
When you truly experience your food, satisfaction increases naturally. Cravings often decrease. Eating becomes less about escaping discomfort and more about nourishment, enjoyment, and connection with your body.
The good news is that attention can be redirected.
And when you change what consistently holds your attention, your desires begin to change with it.
Most people think mindful eating is just about eating slowly.
And yes, slowing down helps. But mindfulness around food begins long before the first bite.
It begins with your attention.
What you repeatedly look at, listen to, and think about affects your cravings more than you may realize.
Think about how often unhealthy foods are placed directly in front of us — commercials, social media, apps, billboards, even games. Many phone games use candy, desserts, bright colors, and excitement to keep your attention focused on sugary foods without you even realizing it. If you spend half an hour playing a game filled with candy and sweets, your mind has been focusing on those images the entire time. Find different games to play!
The same thing happens with food commercials.
Notice how they work. The camera zooms in on melted cheese slowly stretching off a pizza slice. A Hot Wing dipping into sauce with the sauce rising up around the wing. Everything glistens. The people eating the food are usually healthy-looking, smiling, attractive, and having fun.
The message is subtle but powerful:
“This food equals pleasure, comfort, happiness, connection.” Mute those commercials and redirect your attention for a couple of minutes until they’re over!
Mindfulness means becoming aware of what is influencing your mind.
But mindful eating is not only about avoiding unhealthy influences. It is also about deeply experiencing nourishing foods.
Mindfulness can begin while preparing the food itself.
One of my favorite things to prepare is red cabbage or fresh red beets. When you slice them open, the colors and patterns are so beautiful! — deep purples and reds, rings, swirls, textures. Listen to the crisp crunch as the knife cuts through them. Notice their earthy smell. Think about the nourishment and energy they are offering your body.
Then when you eat, slow down enough to truly experience it.
Taste the flavors fully. Notice the texture as you chew. If you exhale gently through your nose while chewing slowly, it enhances the flavor dramatically. Sometimes even closing your eyes for a moment while chewing allows you to focus more completely on the experience of eating.
Many people rush through meals while distracted by phones, television, stress, or conversations — and then wonder why they still feel unsatisfied afterward.
Mindfulness changes that.
When you truly experience your food, satisfaction increases naturally. Cravings often decrease. Eating becomes less about escaping discomfort and more about nourishment, enjoyment, and connection with your body.
The good news is that attention can be redirected.
And when you change what consistently holds your attention, your desires often begin to change with it.