Mindful Eating To Curb Snacking

I decided to talk a bit about snacking today because that's what's on my mind.

Are you a snacker?

I tend to only snack when I don't eat full, nutritious meals. I've noticed lately that I've been snacking more than usual at the same time I noticed I wasn't putting in the effort to eat meals. My snacks are nutritious, but a handful of nuts isn't going to provide the energy, fullness, and nutrition to keep me going through the day. I know this. I know it's worth taking the time to fix breakfast and a light lunch to avoid snacking all day, but sometimes I convince myself I'm too busy or I'm not that hungry or... whatever excuse I give myself for not taking the time to fix myself a nutritious and healthy meal.

My snacks tend to be nuts, dried, fresh, or frozen fruit, and sometimes air-popped popcorn. But, even when I choose healthy snacks, they don't have the same positive effect on my body as eating a full meal.

As I was writing this, I needed to make dinner, but instead I grabbed snacks because I wanted to finish writing this before cooking dinner. And, the snacks did tide me over, but it also added in food I didn't really need to eat if I'd just taken the time to cook.

Eating a plant-based diet doesn't always equate to eating healthy even when one primarily eats a whole foods diet because it matters when and how one eats. I have always been bad at eating when I should because I want to finish this or that or the other and I prioritize food low even though I know I shouldn't.

When we choose a plant-based diet, we can't just assume that's all there is to eating healthy. We must make a concerted effort to eat mindfully and to eat in ways that support our bodies and minds by choosing foods that nourish us.

I'm going to practice eating more mindfully over the next few weeks because I feel like I've lost my way in that respect. If I don't balance what I'm eating for the nutritional value as well as the pleasure, it makes eating the "right" things less beneficial. I need to get back to eating to best support my well-being instead of just grabbing a snack here and there so eating doesn't interfere with my scheduled task.

How about you? Do you eat mindfully?

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