Relax and Eat Mindfully

“Holidays are often excuses to fill the time with eating, baking, food shopping and cooking favorite dishes,” said Judy Trumpy, registered dietitian at the Thielen Student Health Center. Trumpy recommended trying the following activities to fill your time over Thanksgiving Break:

• Offer to help someone

• Connect with people in your hometown

• Visit the homebound or an elderly relative

• Read a good book away from the food preparation area

• Relax in less stressful ways than chomping on food

Tips to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner

• Chew each bite fully and don’t be in a hurry. Be aware of eating. Enjoy your food.

• If your plate isn’t empty but you’re satisfied or full, stop and save room for dessert.

• If you’re not full after your plate is empty and want to get more food, stop and wait a few minutes before going for more.

• For seconds, thirds, etc., put only three bites’ worth of each food you select on your plate.

• For your other servings, place an amount of three bites’ of the food you’d like on the plate.

• It’s alright to not finish the food on your plate if you’re satifised.

• Keep in mind there will be food later and you don’t need it all now.

• Eat dessert in the same manner — pick a dessert that could consist of four to six bites’ worth.

Take time to enjoy dessert. Be mindful you can have more but wait a half hour before having seconds. 

— Information from: www.mindfuleating.org/Thanksgiving.html

Other helpful Web sites to visit to be a mindful eater:

Visit www.mindfulpractices.com and click on the link “Are you a mindful eater? Quiz,” which consists of 31 true and false questions.