Get Out of Autopilot and Break the Cycle of Mindless Eating

June 30, 2021

Life is busy, work is chaotic, and mealtimes are often spent in the car driving to soccer practice. Lunch at your desk, dinner in the car, rarely are meals eaten at the table with focus truly on eating. By now, most of us have heard of/experienced emotional eating, and when we really stop thinking about it can admit we are in autopilot mode most of the time. You've heard of mindful eating, you'll learn about the cycle of mindless eating.

Most of us don’t realize what our food really tastes like, looks likes, or smells like. We aren’t always eating because of physical hunger; we are eating out of emotions. At the same time, many of us are conscious of what we are eating but no idea “how” and “why” we are eating. When you attempt to live a healthier lifestyle, the “what” and the “how/why” go together like two peas in a pod, and both need to be addressed. We need to learn how to break the cycle of mindless eating.

Mindless eating can be a vicious cycle and hard to break, but one thing for sure, you are worth it! That is right; you are worth taking the time every day to sit down, enjoy a meal and nourish your body. It takes practice and adjustment but makes a world of difference in your physical and emotional wellbeing.

How To Break The Cycle Of Mindless Eating

The first step to begin mindful eating is to truly understand what it is. Mindful eating is being present in the moment paying attention to our food, on purpose, moment by moment, without judgment. Mindful eating is being aware of physical hunger and satiety cues and allowing those cues to guide your decision to start and stop eating. Mindful eating is not a diet and doesn’t include “good” and “bad” foods, rather a lifestyle approach that incorporates all foods in moderation.

So how to do we get out of autopilot and shift into a more mindful eating approach?

Focus only on mealtime and only mealtime. This is hard; I get it, but it will get easier with practice. I encourage my patients to eat by themselves every once in a while. Please don’t bring a coworker or your laptop; put down your phone and remind yourself, you are worth it and you are taking to nourish your body.

Take time to stop really look at what you are consuming. How does it look, how does it taste, what texture is it? Use all your senses every time you eat. A good way to practice is with a box of raisins. Take one raisin out of the box. How does it feel? How does it taste? How does it smell? Now put that raisin in your mouth. What is the texture? How does it taste? Notice how much more aware you are of what you’re eating now?

Are you eating because you are physically hungry, or are you eating because it tastes good, looks good, sounds good, and smells good? Try stopping at the first sign of full and get away from the “clean plate theory.” Using the hunger/fullness scale can be so helpful for this. I recommend mentally checking in before, during, and after your meal.

Know your triggers - Happy, sad, mad, glad we turn to food. Finding new coping mechanisms is key here. What can help you unwind and destress? Coloring, essential oils, exercise? Find what works for you. We often eat out of boredom, so finding new hobbies that don’t involve food help cope with emotions and occupy your day.

Does walking into the movie theater trigger you to think you need to eat? Understand that. Acknowledge that association of the movie theater and popcorn…but stop and ask yourself. Am I TRULY physically hungry? No? Just relax and enjoy the show. It’s about breaking the cycle and getting out of autopilot mode. 

Doing this means any time you have a food choice listed on the “bad” side, you will feel guilty and create this vicious cycle and rollercoaster of emotions that hard to break free of and can create a snowball effect.  All foods can be included in a healthy lifestyle in moderation.

That’s right, I said. If you want some M&Ms, be intentional and have some. Don’t keep a bag of them in your desk drawer you can pull them out anytime you are on a stressful phone call and graze on them. Make a special trip to the store, get them, mindfully eat them, enjoy them and move on with your day. It’s A-OK to do and nothing to feel guilty about. I often find that people who honor their cravings are less likely to overindulge in foods.

Mindful eating is hard to do. It takes practice so don’t expect perfection.

Practice the tips above to start bringing awareness back to mealtime. As you are getting started, you may even consider picking up some children’s utensils. This forces you to take small bites, slow down and begin the process of mindful eating.

The more you practice, the more aware you will become and the easier this process will be. Eating should be an enjoyable experience. We want to stop the vicious cycle and rollercoaster of emotions associated with eating. Eating is a form of self-care, and you are worth it. Let mindful eating be your guide to a healthier lifestyle!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jackie Roth, MS, RD, LD completed her dietetic internship in 2010 from The University of Missouri and her masters degree at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2012. She currently works predominately in the bariatric department of NKCH where she has developed and implemented the nutrition component of the program. In 2021 she will take on a new role as a Program Development Specialist where she will collaborate with the leadership team and assume responsibility for the development of the bariatric surgery and medical weight management program.

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