Mindful Eating: A Strategy for Midlife

by: Barbara Sobel, MS, CNS, LDN

As we move through midlife, many of us experience shifts in our bodies, energy levels, and overall health. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by these changes and the sheer volume of advice about how to eat and live well. But one simple, transformative practice—mindful eating—can help us regain control, foster a better relationship with food, and improve our health in ways that go far beyond weight loss.

Why Practice Mindful Eating

  1. Improves Digestion
    Eating mindfully allows the body to prepare for digestion properly. Eating slowly and chewing thoroughly stimulates saliva production and gives your stomach the time it needs to signal fullness. This can reduce bloating, indigestion, and discomfort many often experience during midlife. For those who tend to eat more at dinner, this can also help ensure a better night’s sleep.
  2. Prevents Overeating
    By focusing on the actual food and our hunger cues, mindful eating helps prevent overeating. Research shows that eating slowly can lead to consuming fewer calories because the brain has time to register when we’ve had enough. It seems like magic, but naturally eating fewer calories while getting more satisfaction with our food is key to losing and maintaining a healthy weight.
  3. Reduces Stress
    Mindful eating encourages us to slow down and focus on the present moment, creating a meditative experience that reduces stress and cortisol levels. Eating without distractions like phones or TVs can transform mealtime into a restorative break from your busy day.
  4. Enhances Our Relationship with Food
    Many people struggle with emotional or stress-induced eating. Mindful eating helps us identify whether we are truly hungry or eating out of habit or emotion. Over time, this practice can lead to a healthier and more positive relationship with food. Many of my clients have used mindful eating to add new foods into their diet that they didn’t think they would like, and leave behind other foods that they finally realized didn’t make them feel very good.

How to Practice Mindful Eating

Here are 5 simple steps. They are not always easy, but the more you practice, the easier and more natural they become.

  1. Pause Before You Eat
    Before taking your first bite, take a deep breath and ask yourself, “Am I truly hungry, or is something else creating a desire for me to eat?”
  2. Eliminate Distractions
    Sit down, turn off the TV, put down your phone, and create a calm environment to focus on your meal.
  3. Chew, Chew, and Chew Some More
    Aim for 15-20, or even 30 chews per bite, depending on what you are eating. This not only aids digestion but also gives your brain time to catch up with your stomach, reducing the likelihood of overeating. Remember, it takes 20 minutes for our brains to get the message that our stomachs have food.
  4. Engage Your Senses
    Notice your food’s colors, textures, and smells. Savor each bite and appreciate the flavor, temperature, and feeling of your food in your mouth. Grab a piece of dark chocolate or a section of juicy orange and savor a bite in your mouth. You will be amazed at what you discover.
  5. Honor Fullness Cues
    Check-in with yourself during the meal. Ask, “Am I still hungry?” Stop eating when you feel satisfied, not stuffed. This can be incredibly challenging for people who are used to cleaning their plates or chronic dieters who rely on a “diet” to create optimal serving sizes.

Potential Obstacles and Strategies to Overcome Them

  1. Lack of Time
    Many of us have busy schedules that make mindful eating feel impossible. Start small. Dedicate just one meal or snack per day to mindful eating. Committing to chewing 20 times for your first two bites of a meal can start to shift you out of autopilot or putting your fork all the way down on your plate between bites
  2. Emotional Eating
    Stress, boredom, or other emotions can drive us to eat mindlessly. Check in with yourself to make sure you are not seeking food because you are tired or thirsty. Track your emotions and eating habits in a journal. This can be tedious but gives you new insights and helpful information. When you notice emotional triggers, find an alternative activity. When you notice you  are mindlessly eating out of habit, look closely to see if those habits are really serving you, and if not, consciously make another choice.
  3. Family or Social Distractions
    Mealtimes with others can be noisy or rushed. Ask your family for help and explain why this is important to you, and them. Make it a game and involve your family in mindful eating by sharing the concept and encouraging everyone to slow down together. You can create a lot of laughs if you challenge everyone to put their fork down between bites and call each other out when someone forgets.
  4. Feeling Self-Conscious
    Mindful eating might feel unnatural or awkward at first. First off, no one will know you are doing it unless you tell them, and if they do notice something different, they will probably think you have good manners and start emulating you. This is a skill that improves with practice. If it feels more comfortable, you can practice when you eat by yourself and ease into the process with others over time.

Next Steps

Mindful eating isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress. Start where you are and be kind to yourself as you learn. This practice is not only a tool for improving digestion and managing weight but also a way to cultivate gratitude and joy in your relationship with food.


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