I’ve written about failing at mindful eating before, and shared some tips for dealing with eating when you don’t like the sound of chewing.

Today I want to talk about some more tips for eating mindfully. My hope for you is that you can use this to improve your eating experience, and this can help you determine what foods you do and don’t enjoy.

So let’s get to it!

Imagination Station

For this we’re going to use our imagination. So you’ve got your food in front of you. Let’s say it’s a brownie, because they’re delicious!

So you have your brownie in front of you. It’s on a round white plate. You have your fork in hand. Before you take the first bite, ask yourself how does this look? Does it look chocolatey? Is it a corner piece? Is it a center piece? How does the brownie smell? Sweet?

Ok now you taken a few bites, it’s time for some more questions? How does the brownie taste? Chocolatey? Rich? Sweet? What about the texture? Is it crunchy? Chewy? Fudgey? If it’s an edge piece, is the crispy?

There you have it! Four simple questions that can help you experience what you’re eating. With this information you can determine if you enjoy what you think you enjoy. You may be surprised with your findings. I’ve learned that I didn’t like several things I thought I enjoyed. I’ve also found many foods I wouldn’t have tried previously, but they’ve quickly become my favorite.

Mindful Eating Chart

Here’s a chart to help you track your findings:

What You’re Eating	Look	Smell	Taste	Texture
Brownie	Chocolatey, corner piece	Sweet	fudgey, sweet, rich	Crispy edges, chewy center

This is something you can try at your next meal or snack and get on your way to eating more intutively!

The point of it all.

If you’re wondering why I would have you do this, it’s because I desire for your to enjoy what you’re eating. That is not always possible, but it should be an aim each time you sit down to eat. When you’ve spent years eating what you think you’re supposed to eat, or you’re recovering from an eating disorder, you may be out of touch with what you enjoy. This practice helps you discover that! Being present in your body may be difficult, but this can help you find a safe starting place on that journey.

Today is the best day to change your life!