FCS3-561FG Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Mindful Eating Enjoy Your Food with All Your Senses Facilitators Guide Description of Session and Background Information We often become preoccupied with our many roles and responsibilities. When we become too busy and stressed, we often skip breakfast, eat our meals while working at the computer, eat quickly so that we can get on to the next task, and order-out too many meals. All these behaviors could lead to an unhealthy relationship with food. This session uses the principles of mindful eating that can lead to a healthy lifestyle. We currently consume too much sodium and too many calories from solid fats, added sugars, and refined grains. These replace nutrient dense foods and beverages and make it difficult for people to achieve recommended nutrient intake while controlling calorie and sodium consumption. Mindful eating includes making healthy food choices, such as limiting the intake of sodium, solid fats, added sugars and refined grains and emphasizes nutrient dense foods and beverages vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, and nuts and seeds (2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans). This session uses a critical thinking approach to help individuals think about their behavior and provides tools of empowerment, problems solving, goal setting and reflection to encourage behavior change (Adams, 2010). Objectives Describe the concepts of mindful eating Explain the benefits of slowing down when eating Employ strategies to make mindful eating possible Eat food mindfully Be mindful about building a healthy eating pattern using MyPlate guidelines PAC CODE: 210 - Making Beneficial Lifestyle Choices Priority Indicators: Number of individuals who experience a change in knowledge, opinions, skills, or aspirations regarding lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, etc.) that improve personal health. Number of individuals who make lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, etc.) for the purpose of improving their health. Of the _(insert number)_ total number of individuals/families/caregivers reached, the number that gained knowledge about eating more of healthy foods. Of the _(insert number)_ total number of individuals/families/caregivers reached, the number that reported eating more of healthy foods.
This session is a part of the Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Initiative. It focuses on behaviors outlined in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Estimated Time: 1 hour Target Audience: Young adults, adults Group Size: 8 to 15 participants Materials and Equipment: Small plate (9-inches) Grapes Napkins Pens or pencils for all participants A place to write participant responses (flip chart, chalkboard with chalk) Name tags Marking pens PowerPoint presentation Computer and projector Meal Table setting Handouts Mindful Eating, publication # FCS3-562 http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/fcs3/fcs3561/fcs3561.pdf FCS2-101 Table Manners That Take You Anywhere http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/fcs2/fcs2101/fcs2101.pdf FCS2-100 Good Manners & Etiquette for Everyday Living http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/fcs2/fcs2100/fcs2100.pdf Mindful Eating activity 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series: Choose MyPlate http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/downloads/tentips/dgtipsheet1choosemyplate.pdf Participant evaluation Preparation and Presentation Read thorough the session publication, facilitator guide and other materials Print handouts and evaluation materials Purchase food items for meal of your choice. Meal should include vegetables and fruit, an item from the grain group and a protein food. Set up Nutrient Density Game Session Overview Concepts of mindful eating A look at the Japanese and the French Benefits of slowing down when eating Strategies to make mindful eating possible 2
Eating food mindfully Building a healthy eating pattern using MyPlate guidelines Session Introduction Welcome Welcome participants and have them introduce themselves and name one of their favorite foods PowerPoint presentation View Mindful Eating PowerPoint Presentation Take time for discussion and conduct activities as you follow the presentation Evaluation STIMULUS Do you eat until you are stuffed and continue to eat even though you are full? Do you just keep on eating simply because there is food on you plate? Have you been so hungry that you gobble down your food only to realize that you were no longer hungry? These are all signs of mindless eating, eating without really considering what you are doing. Share: When you eat mindlessly you are more likely to overeat and gain weight; you tend to enjoy your food less because you don t really notice its flavors and textures. When you learn to enjoy your food, you will learn to be satisfied with smaller amounts. In this session you will learn about mindful eating. These sessions are meant to be interactive and fun, and allow you to think about your food choices and enjoy food with all your senses. The overall goal is to improve your health, well-being and quality of life. At the end of today s session you should be able to: Describe the concepts of mindful eating Explain the benefits of slowing down when eating Employ strategies to make mindful eating possible Eat food mindfully Be mindful about building a healthy eating pattern using MyPlate guidelines Today, we are going to discuss the term mindful eating. What does mindful eating mean to you? (Allow time for participants to respond.) Share: Mindful eating is paying attention to the process of eating. It is giving full attention to the smell, taste and texture of food and the environment in which it is served. It is also a growing awareness of what your body is telling you. As you pay more attention to the food, you are eating and what you put on your plate, you may find yourself more aware if you are still truly hungry. This will help you avoid overeating and eating to the point that you feel uncomfortable. Mindful eating includes selecting foods your body needs for good health and learning to enjoy the experience of eating it. 3
Activity Mindful Eating Activity and Questions Allow time for discussion. Share: A look at the Japanese and the French Japanese In Japan there is a saying that you should eat until you are 80 percent full. It is called Hara Hachi Bu. The Japanese pay attention while eating and when they feel that they are mostly full, but could still eat a little more, they stop eating. In this way, they are paying attention to exactly how satisfied they are during the process of eating. Eating until you are 80 percent full helps you stay in tune with your body and maintain a certain level of fullness. The more you fill your stomach, the more it will stretch. Overtime, this stretching of your stomach causes it to get bigger, making you less in tune with when you are actually full. The principle of Hara Hachi Bu prevents this stretching from occurring. This saying came from a place called Okinawa where many have a very healthy weight and over one-fourth of the population live to be 100 years old. What is the secret of their long life? It could be the calorie restriction. Hara Hachi Bu can be practiced at any time and any place. It simply takes self-control to understand that many times we are more full than we feel. French The French usually take about 2 hours for dinner, which is the largest meal of the day. They see dinner as an opportunity for family and friends to spend quality time together recounting the events of the day. A typical dinner in France consists of six courses: a predinner drink and small appetizers, a main course of meat, poultry or fish; a salad; a selection of cheese; fresh fruit; and coffee. This may sound like a lot of food, but the French portions are about 25 percent smaller than a typical American serving. The French also have smaller snack and beverages sizes. The smaller portion sizes and slower eating may factor into why the French can eat long meals and still stay slim. The French meal is normally eaten at a leisurely pace. Eating food at a slower pace allows the food to get from the esophagus into the stomach between courses. This helps the French realize how full they are. There is no need to force down or rush through any of these courses, French meals are designed for enjoyment and time for the family to be together. EMPOWERMENT Mindful eating takes practice and thought. Practice makes perfect. Can you name one food that you eat slowly? Reflection What can we learn about mindful eating from other cultures? Why is mindful eating a challenge for us? What steps can we take so that we can be more mindful about our eating? How can you benefit from eating mindfully? What can you do to eat mindfully? 4
CRITICAL RESPONSE Enjoy a meal with all your senses. Invite participants to take part in the meal. Tell them you have provided an opportunity for them to eat mindfully. Mindful eating is selecting foods that your body needs for good health and learning to enjoy the experience of eating it. Things to do: Prepare a meal for participants to share. Create an appealing environment. Set the table nicely; add some flowers and other decoration to give a pleasant ambiance. Avoid distractions. Set the table with nine-inch or smaller plates. Encourage participants to fill half of the plate with vegetables, such as a tossed salad and/or cooked vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower or asparagus. Go for color! Vegetables with the most color dark green, red, yellow, and orange have the most nutrients, Add a 4-ounce piece of lean protein such as fish, chicken, beans, lean beef or pork. Add a fruit for dessert. Enjoy the aroma and colors of the food. This is a good time to be thankful for the meal and what was provided. Many people go without food each day and you are privileged to have something to eat. Be thankful. Take small bites of your food and appreciate the texture and flavor. Chew your food properly. Put your silverware down between bites as you enjoy the aroma and taste of the food. What is one thing you can do to ensure that you continue to eat mindfully? Remind participants that they may want to begin by choosing one meal a day to eat mindfully. Allow time for participants to share about their experience of eating mindfully. After the meal remind participants to stay active. REMEMBER! Stay active Getting all of the nutrients you need isn t the only thing necessary for good health. Guidelines for good health recommend being physically active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. This can include anything from walking at work, to working in a garden or going for a swim. Physical activity does not always mean going to the gym or running a mile, it can also be enjoying some playtime with your kids, cleaning house or going for a walk with some friends. Some tips for staying physically active include: Find something that you enjoy, if you like to garden, plant some vegetables or herbs. Plan the time. Many people have very busy lives, but if you set aside the time to be physically active, you are much less likely to skip it. Get an exercise partner or partners. If you like to walk, turn your walk into time with family or friends. Being committed to this time with someone else will give you more incentive to get out and do it. Find people to support you. If you know there are people behind you, rooting for you to work physical activity into your schedule, it will give you encouragement along the way. Set manageable goals. Giving yourself goals to celebrate along the way will make exercise more fun and rewarding. Remember: If you eat 100 more food calories a day than you burn, you will gain about 1 pound in a month. That s about 10 pounds in a year. 5
ACTION: Set a goal Set SMART goals for yourself. That is, your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Action oriented, and Realistic, and they should have a Time frame. Attribute Specific Measurable Action oriented Realistic Time frame Example No: I will eat healthy each day. Yes: I will choose one nutrient dense food at every meal each day. No: I will eat healthier. Yes: I will eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread. If your goal is to eat vegetables twice a day, you may want to take the following action: I will purchase vegetables. I will cut up vegetables and store them in a container in the refrigerator. Choose a goal you are 70 percent sure you can achieve. I will eat fruits for breakfast and for one snack each day. Evaluation Pass out the Mindful Eating Evaluation Impact statement based on the state indicator: A healthy eating pattern promotes health and helps to decrease the risk of chronic diseases. In _(insert name of county)_ County, individuals experienced a change in knowledge, opinions, skills or aspirations regarding lifestyle changes related to making nutrient dense food choices that improve personal health. _(insert number)_ individuals made lifestyle changes related to eating nutrient dense foods for the purpose of improving their health. _(insert number)_ percent of the participants made progress toward a personal goal to make healthier food choices and (insert number)_ percent achieved their personal goals. Share participant success stories. Ingrid Adams, Ph.D., R.D., L.D. Extension Specialist for Nutrition and Weight Management September 2012 Copyright September 2012 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. 6