How to Take Care of Yourself Through Mindful Eating as a Busy Mom

It is no secret that as a mom, life can get super busy, and the thing is, it really doesn’t matter how old your kids are. Between work, school, and your children’s extracurricular activities, I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to think about is what I’m going to make for dinner. 

It can be hard to nourish your body the way it deserves when you have a lot going on, let alone making sure that your kids are eating healthy, which can be another challenge in itself. 

Mindful eating is a gentle form of self-care, and believe it or not, it doesn’t require a whole lot of time and energy. Whether you like to eat out or cook your meals at home, mindful eating can work with both of them. In this blog post, I will give you simple steps on how to nourish your body so that you feel energized and feel connected with your body through mindful eating.

Mindful eating is about paying attention to your body’s cues and your food. It is about taking your time when eating without restricting yourself. It helps you slow down and truly understand what your body is asking for,r which can indirectly help with weight loss if that is something you are looking for. Mindful eating can also reduce stress at the dinner table for you

Understand that mindful eating isn’t about dieting or restricting yourself; it’s about being aware. So, for instance, if you are eating a healthy snack but it’s in front of the TV, or you are scrolling on your phone, then you open yourself up to a lot of distractions while you eat. When this happens, it can be easy for you to overeat. Mindful eating helps you to take a step back and realize that this isn’t good for you and to be more present. 

There are many upsides to mindful eating that are backed by science.

• You are more likely to make healthier food choices. People who eat mindfully are more likely to make healthier choices because they typically make better food choices, like consuming less sugar and fat
• You are less likely to emotionally eat and or binge eat. Because you are listening to your body’s cues, you are more likely to only eat when you are hungry.
• Better weight management. Studies have shown that people who practice mindful eating during their meals are more likely lose weight and have more stable blood sugar levels. 
• Better digestion. It helps your stomach work better and can help you feel less bloated after meals. 
• You feel more connected to yourself. Again, when you are aware of the taste of the food, you listen to your body while you’re eating, and you slow down; this helps you be more in tune with your body.

Many people have different opinions on what food is supposed to do for you. Some people believe that they only have one life and they will eat whatever they want. Some people believe in eating only healthy foods to live as long as possible. And some people believe that everything should be in moderation. Whatever your belief is about food, take this opportunity to care for yourself. Here are some tips to do that:

• Take 3 deep breaths before you start eating. I know this can sound a little silly, but hear me out. Taking deep breaths slows down your breathing. This helps you to slow down while you eat. When you come to the table worried or anxious, it can be very easy for you to eat fast, which can cause you to overeat, leading to bad nutrient uptake and weight gain. 
• Sit somewhere quiet for even 5 minutes. After a long day, taking just 5 minutes can do wonders for your mental health. Maybe you want to reflect on your day or simply be in the moment. 
• Shift your mindset. As moms, it can be so easy to neglect our basic needs, but you can’t take care of your family if you don’t take care of yourself. Try to shift your mindset from “My needs can wait; everyone else comes first,” to “Taking care of myself helps me show up better for my family.”

Before you eat, ask yourself, am I really hungry right now? I know I used to do this a lot: emotional eating. It can be easy to eat out of boredom, when you’re stressed, anxious, or tired. What is your body telling you in the moment? 

True hunger cues can look like:

• Low energy
• Grumbling stomach 
• Mood swings
• Headaches 
• Feeling dizzy 

False hunger cues:

• Stress 
• Not getting enough water 
• PMS
• Seeing or smelling food that’s just around
• Just finishing up a workout 

Check in with yourself before you start eating and while you are eating. Before you start eating, ask yourself, ” Is this a false or true hunger cue?  While you are eating, ask yourself, how full do I feel right now? 

You will be surprised, sometimes drinking water could be the solution, but of course, you know what’s best for you. 

When you honor your body’s hungry cue,s this can help with your overall energy and how you feel every day. 

When you are distracted while eating, this can reduce the chances of you being able to listen to your body’s cues. It is important to know when you are full. Being on your phone or watching TV are two big ones. It can cause stress and overeating. Not to mention, it can cause issues with our digestive system. When you overeat, you are opening yourself up to weight gain.

There are many struggles that we face as moms when trying to eat healthily. For many of us, it could be eating on the go, skipping meals, rushed meals, not having enough time to eat during our lunch breaks, and, as we talked about earlier, emotional eating. The list goes on. 

Here are a few practical tips to help with these struggles:

• Start small. Of course its not going to be perfect, and that’s not what we are looking for. Try maybe 2-3 meals a week to mindfully eat. Be aware of the food you’re taking in and be in the moment with your family (or whoever you are eating with).  
• Try meal prepping. I get it. On your day off, you just want to relax, but planning your meals ahead of time makes the question, “What am I going to cook for dinner?” so much easier. You can go as far as making quick and simple recipes and freezing them. One thing that I learned is that children love to be included in cooking. Grab the kids and let them help!
• Plan small moments for yourself. Take 5-10 minutes for yourself, eat a healthy snack, maybe when the kids are sleeping or playing outside. As a mom, I know just 5-10 minutes can sometimes seem impossible. But even just one small meal to yourself where you can enjoy it and have some peace? Who can pass that up? 

We talked about a few of them earlier, like deep breathing before eating and taking 5-10 minutes for yourself, but let’s talk about some more small steps you can take today. 

• Pause before starting your meals or snacks. This will help you recognize false triggers or cues and reduce stress around eating.
• Gratitude for your food: I’m a huge believer in gratitude. When you show that you are grateful for something, it puts you in good spirits and puts you into a positive headspace before eating. Here are some things that you can say to show gratitude:
  • Thank you for nourishing me
  • Thank you for the food before us, the family beside us, and the love between us.
  • Thank you for this food.
  • I’m grateful for this meal.
  • Thanks for the hands that prepared this.
• Chew 15-20 times per bite for one meal a day. When you chew your food this many times, it allows your body digest the food and allows you to take your time when you’re eating.
  
• Notice how your body feels before and after eating. Again, pay attention to your cues. Are they true hunger cues or are they false? Try to avoid emotional eating. 

Mindful eating is an easy self-care activity to include in your self-care protocol as a busy mom. It’s simple and doesn’t require a lot of thought. Not to mention, it’s a great way to recharge and practice self-love. Starting, you don’t have to practice mindful eating at every meal, but start adding it to your meals and watch the difference that you see in yourself. 

What’s one small change that you can incorporate today to help you with mindful eating? 

 “Taking care of yourself as a mom starts with small, mindful moments—one bite at a time.”