March 2014 Question #1
Reducing the number of calories consumed by slowing the
eating rate may be beneficial for both normal-weight and overweight/obese
individuals. Also, slower eating on a daily basis may help individuals make
more mindful decisions regarding their food intake. How might you as a dietetics and nutrition
professional counsel individuals one-on-one to participate in more mindful
eating habits?
posted by Unknown @ 5:49 PM
34 comments
34 Comments:
I think the best way would be to take smaller steps toward the big picture.There are several small tips some even mentioned by the article such as taking smaller bites, setting your fork down in between bites, and consuming more water while eating. Perhaps a hand out with these tips would be appropriate. I also think that distraction plays a large role in over consuming as well. Being able to take a break and only think about and concentrate on what you are eating could be another way to combat overconsumption at meal time.
Talk to them about the importance of paying attention to their bodies when they eat. Explain that it is hard to listen to your body when you eat too fast. I would explain that in order to do this they may want to consider changing their eating environment and/or meal timing. I would not recommend eating on-the-go, as they will be focused more on getting somewhere on time rather than how much they are eating or how they feel as they are eating. I would try to help them come up with a better plan for fitting that meal in during a time when they could sit down and enjoy it. Also, I would talk to them about distractions during mealtime, such as the TV. I would explain how eating at the table will allow them to pay more attention to their body and fullness, and it could help them enjoy their food more.
I agree with what Brady said about eating on the run. Planning the day to include time to sit down and eat a balanced meal at a reasonable pace will give them the opportunity to follow Jessica's tips and listen to the hunger and satiety cues Brady mentioned. It is less stressful, too, which may also help decrease the number of calories consumed.
I would first talk to them about their current eating habits and help them to identify whether they rush through their meals. I would then talk to them about the importance of eating slowly, that it helps you to recognize your hunger/satiety cues better and you also are able to enjoy your meal more by savoring your food. I would then find out if they would want and be able to make room in their schedules to sit down and eat meals at a slower pace and help them brainstorm ideas to do so.
I would first talk to them about their current eating habits and help them to identify whether they rush through their meals. I would then talk to them about the importance of eating slowly, that it helps you to recognize your hunger/satiety cues better and you also are able to enjoy your meal more by savoring your food. I would then find out if they would want and be able to make room in their schedules to sit down and eat meals at a slower pace and help them brainstorm ideas to do so.
I agree with Jessica and Brady about distractions. Eating in front of a TV is definitely an easy way to over-consume.
Good point Jeanne. Stress is a big factor. People have such a hard time turning their minds off when they sleep let alone when they eat!
I would try to emphasize that meal time should be the least stressful time of the day and that when you're consuming a meal, that's a great time to just relax and enjoy your food. This is not a means to overindulge or anything, but by just focusing on the task at hand (eating), people can be much more in touch with their hunger and satiety levels whereas when there are other distractions (e.g. television, browsing the internet), there is no attention being paid towards actual appetite. I'm sure we've all eaten in front of the T.V. and know that it's so easy to eat everything on your plate so fast that you don't even understand where it all went. On occasion, there will be distracted eating (such is life), so I would provide the client with tips like simply using portion control and consuming water with your meal to increase the feeling of satiety. For those who eat on the go, packing meals instead of purchasing them is a great way to control what they are eating. Just limit yourself to what you packed, and if that's all you have available, that's all you'll be able to eat...no matter how fast or slow you eat it, that's all there is. That's why I'm always weary of bringing a big jar of almonds or anything else to campus, I'll get distracted and take 4 handfuls without even realizing it. Putting a serving into a plastic bag and bringing that is much more effective and eliminates the chance I'll eat the entire jar--even if I am distracted.
I was suggest to all my clients having 2 healthy snacks a day so they never get to the "starving" point. High protein and a higher fiber snack would be best. I would also try to convince my client to eat with others. Food is supposed to be enjoyable along with good company according to the Mediterranean Diet principles. They would hopefully eat slower too if the conversation gets flowing. I would strongly discourage eating in one's office too. You need a break from work to be more efficient. Brady made a good point about the distraction of the TV, so I would discourage that also.
It is important to find out what the client's barriers to mindful eating are and help them become aware of these barriers. So often people are in a rush everywhere they go, so they try to scarf down a meal rather quickly or eat in an environment not conducive to mindfulness. Even the preceptors I've worked with and myself have been guilty of working through lunch sitting at our desks. I can think of a lot of moms who are not mindful as they prepare meals for their families and eat last when their food is cold. Once the barriers are addressed, we can help clients come up with strategies to guard their time with food. Time is such a commodity that it can be beneficial to help clients set aside a specific time and place for eating. Sometimes just getting back to basics, like closing one's eyes and imagining the flavors of food can bring the enjoyment back to mindfulness.
Arthur, you have some great tips. Food should be relaxing and enjoyable, not a stressful experience. I think you are right that distractions can tip people over the edge when it comes to overeating. When I really pay attention to my body, I actually will put the leftover bits of my lunch back in the lunch pail because I feel full. When I work through lunch, I have the tendency to eat everything because it is automatic & it is in front of me.
Recognizing the barriers to midful eating is a great way to begin a counseling session with your clients or patients. It's also really cool how some of you have reflected on your own eating habits and that of those around you in an effort to better understand the topic.
1. There have already been a lot of great points made, and I agree with what a lot of what everyone has already said! I think planning ahead is really important so that you aren’t to the point where you’re preparing a meal in a hurry and then scarfing it down. When we’re paying attention to what we’re eating, it’s a lot easier to gauge how full we’re feeling. There are a lot of great tips like drinking water during your meal, putting down your fork between each bite, and eating with other people to encourage conversation to slow down eating. Brady brought up a great point about changing your eating environment, because it’s really easy to eat mindlessly while we sit down to watch a TV show or something similar. I would say that just being aware of times that you are susceptible to mindlessly eating is the first step to being more mindful when we eat.
1. There have already been a lot of great points made, and I agree with what a lot of what everyone has already said! I think planning ahead is really important so that you aren’t to the point where you’re preparing a meal in a hurry and then scarfing it down. When we’re paying attention to what we’re eating, it’s a lot easier to gauge how full we’re feeling. There are a lot of great tips like drinking water during your meal, putting down your fork between each bite, and eating with other people to encourage conversation to slow down eating. Brady brought up a great point about changing your eating environment, because it’s really easy to eat mindlessly while we sit down to watch a TV show or something similar. I would say that just being aware of times that you are susceptible to mindlessly eating is the first step to being more mindful when we eat.
I agree with most comments that eliminating distractions when eating and really slowing down to actually taste the food you are consuming. In the fast pace society that we are in howerver, I think it's very important to be most mindful of serving sizes. That way- even if you have to eat quickly, for example on a lunch break, you know you haven't overindulged at that meal.
I like Carly's suggestion of adding snacks between meals so that the client doesn't feel "starved".
Planning ahead is also very important as many others have suggested. That way you eliminate tempations to overeat.
As some have previously mentioned, in order to get clients to eat more mindfully I would suggest reducing distractions by not eating in front of the TV or computer or using their cell phone during mealtime. I would try to help them identify the situations where they do not eat mindfully. For example, when many people go to a movie theater they could eat an entire bag of popcorn without even realizing it because they are distracted by the movie. In these situations, I would suggest only serving themselves a correct portion, so if they do end up eating all the food, then they wouldn’t be overeating. I would also advise clients to really try to focus on the food and to pay attention to the different flavors and textures of the food they are eating. With foods like desserts, if you are really craving something then you could just take a few bites of the decadent dessert and most likely feel satisfied without having to eat an entire large piece of cake or an entire pint of ice cream. Really taking the time to pay attention to what you are eating and how you feel are important for eating mindfully.
Caroline brought up a great example about going to the movies and sitting down with a huge bowl/bag of buttery popcorn and forgetting about portion control. Also, showing clients the hunger scale would be helpful. When I was at ISU Campus Dining with Dianne, she used the scale with her students all of time and had great results.
Counseling an individual about mindful first requires you to get to know their usual eating habits. Not everyone eats on the go nor in front of the tv, but these are the most obvious habits that can be changed. Putting the focus back on the food makes the food more flavorful and easier to reach satiety instead of eating for the sake of eating, or because it's a habit to have a night time snack with tv.
Eating a meal without distractions is ideal, but may not be possible for some people. I agree with Carly that focusing on portions and snacks would be most beneficial for people in this situation so they don't overeat.
I would first try to get to know the client a little bit and their eating habits. I just did a counseling session with an obese client and she informed me that she and her mom eat in front of the TV every night and she always goes up for seconds no matter if she is hungry or not. I informed her that turning off the TV and sitting at the kitchen table would be a great idea. I also suggested putting what she wants on her plate and than putting the leftovers away before she eats. That way the food is out of sight, out of mind, and she is only eating what she needs.
I like Brady's idea of suggesting not to eat on the go as they will be more focused on other things rather than their hunger cues.
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I would explain that it is important for healthy digestion to eat slower and that if you are trying to lose weight it would be beneficial to think about your food choices. Thoroughly enjoying your food is a great way to consume a more appropriate amount. I would have the client record how long it takes them to eat, where they are eating, and what their surroundings are in order to help them realize the environment they eat in. If it a stressful environment they may need to make some changes. Changing to smaller utensils or plates may help as well so you can think about savoring the amount portioned.
Jessica brings up an important point about taking smaller bites and setting the fork down. Those are easy steps to incorporate while having a meal. After practicing those tips it can form into a healthy habit and the client will be able to eat slower and enjoy their meal.
One major reason that people seem to eat very quickly is that they wait so long between meals and feel "starving" by the the next time it's time to eat again. When you get to the point that you're that hungry, it is hard to listen to your hunger queues and know when you are full and should stop eating. A big barrier to coaching clients to eat slower is dealing with these lags between meals. I would make sure the council my client on the importance of eating more frequently throughout the day and by learning to listen to the body's signals of hunger. When you're hungry, you should eat, and when you're not, you should stop. Other tips for eating slower include holding your utensils with your non-dominant hand, using chopsticks instead of forks, and making sure to chew and swallow each bite.
I really like the suggestions brought up by several people that distractions while eating also contribute to eating too quickly and more than is needed. If we can encourage clients to eat more meals at a table and without distractions, we may be able to make meal time more enjoyable and healthier for all.
I think I would really emphasize choosing foods they enjoy and actually being able to enjoy them. If they're strapped on time, make time on weekends or whenever possible to plan out some food options for the week. I think that for people with eating disorders, it is important to remind them of things they enjoy. I think that the clients should take the time out to actually taste the flavors and savor the textures in their foods instead of just swallowing it whole.
I really like Carly's idea of suggesting incorporating snacks because that would help alleviate some hunger so they're not starving by the time food comes around. If the client is starving then that's usually when they will scarf down food and not feel as satisfied, which may lead them to eat more.
Anna J said...
First I would see if the client had ever heard of mindful eating or tried it. I would try to education filling in the clients gaps in knowledge. I might have the client compare times they had eaten a meal slowly to times they had eaten a meal quickly and see if they had observed any differences such as physically feeling different while eating and after eating or having a different level of enjoyment of the food when eating fast or slowly. I might have clients actually write down about the experience of eating mindfully in a journal after eating. The exercise of eating a raisin, chocolate chip, and potato chip slowly and mindfully using all the senses to savor the food before even putting the food in the mouth, then while the food is in the mouth, when chewing, after swallowing, etc. is an exercise I think can be really helpful too (referenced in many resources, but I think those foods specifically are from Geneen Roth www.geneenroth.com). Jan Chozen Bays wrote a good book called Mindful Eating and it has a CD with lots of meditations and exercises related to mindful eating. One of the tracks talks a client through picking up a fork, taking a bite, etc slowly and mindfully. This resource can be helpful if a client says they are “bored' or “uncomfortable” eating slowly and paying attention to the food. The Center for Mindful Eating (http://www.thecenterformindfuleating.org/) has free patient education materials that have been well received by clients I work with and this center also trains professions to facilitate and teach mindful eating. Evelyn Tribole (http://www.evelyntribole.com/) is an RD who also teaches about mindful and intuitive eating and trains professionals. Susan Albers wrote a book called Eating Mindfully and she also wrote a workbook that corresponds that has some really fantastic worksheets and resources to complete with a client. Brian Wansink also has really interesting information about when and why we eat mindlessly that I have found helpful to include when teaching clients about mindful eating (http://mindlesseating.org). Client seem to like and understand his research studies. Yes, I love this topic!
Anna J said:
Jessica I like your comments that it would be good to focus on the small steps moving toward the big picture. I think that is great and really puts in practice the idea of being in the moment when eating mindfully.
This is a great question because of the recent hype about mindful meditation and it's benefits. Bringing this awareness to the dinner table could be beneficial. I would to suggest to someone who is trying to be more mindful about eating to take the time to taste every flavor in the dish. If they added certain spices to a recipe, ask them to try to pick those flavors out and understand what purpose they have in the overall flavor. I would also suggest that the be more aware of how the food got to the table, where it came, from, and who had to work to get it there. All of these things help to focus on the food, help us better enjoy the food, and help us to identify when we should be done eating.
I agree with Arthur that even sitting down to a meal can be distracting. Families are chatting about their day and are busy in conversation. If someone does not have the chance to completely focus on eating, then portion sizes, smaller bites, setting the fork down when chewing, and consuming water during a meal are all great tips to help someone slow down without having to be mindful about it.
Definitely promoting the "no electronic" family meals would be a good place to start. Encouraging all members of the family to sit down for meals and leave their phones/ipads/etc in their rooms and keeping the tv off. Encouraging discussion during family meals or Q & A activities so each family member is speaking throughout the meal instead of shoveling food for 15-30 minutes.
Jeanne, your point about stress in interesting! Many people over eat related to stress in their day so identifying and coping with stress as well as being more mindful of eating habits would likely make a large difference in over all lifestyle and feelings of wellness!
I would first ask the client to explain to me their typical day. I would then try to get more specific details about where their meals are being eaten, how long they have to eat them, and who they eat them with. I think getting a great background is most important to fit the information to the client. I would then suggest that they never eat in the car, at their desk, or while watching tv. It is always better to not be distracted when eating, this allows you to be able to be more conscious of what you are eating. I would continue to try to break through any barriers. Only then can you make great suggestions such as snacking during the day to avoid becoming too hungry and making meal time a more positive thing instead of a chore.
I like Alyssa's point of banning any form of electronics at meal time. This causes people to pay attention to what they are doing and may even increase conversation between families.
As others have commented, I really like Carly's idea of snacks between meals. It is very hard to control how much you eat when you feel like you are are starving. Even if you eat slowly when you feel that way, it seems to take more food to feel full.
Thank you, Anna for all those good references. I read Evelyn Tribole's book Intuitive Eating, and thought it was helpful.
I agree with Carly and others who mentioned planned snacking as a way to manage eating habits. I think we all make much better food decisions when we haven't yet hit that "I'm starving" point.
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