Mindful Eating: How to Rebuild Trust with Your Body
I know what people think when they hear the words “mindful eating.” That sounds like a load of BS. Trust me, I used to think that too. I thought, “If I actually listened to my mind or my intuition, I’d just eat pizza and poutine all the time.”
But here’s what most people don’t understand about mindful eating: there’s a huge difference between cravings and mindfulness.
Cravings are often loud, urgent, emotional. Mindfulness is calm, grounded, and connected. And ironically, the more mindful you become around food, the less intense your cravings tend to be. And I get it… It’s so easy to disconnect from that inner knowing of when and what to eat. There’s SO MUCH food noise out there:
“You need to eat every 2 hours”
“Don’t eat after 7PM”
“You should avoid eating, unless your really hungry”
Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, we stopped listening to ourselves… and started listening to everything else. Mindful eating isn’t about listening to what everyone else is telling you. It’s about YOU, coming back home to your body.
Why Mindful Eating is Important
Because not eating mindfully is exhausting. After years of dieting, emotional eating, or trying to “get it right,” many women come to the same dead end:
“I don’t know what to do anymore”
“Nothing works for me”
“I don’t know how to stop”
“I can’t even tell when I’m actually hungry”.
That’s why mindful eating is important.
The Hunger–Fullness Scale
One of my favorite tools to rebuild trust with your body is the Hunger–Fullness Scale.
Think of it as a 0–10 scale:
0–2: You’re starving. Irritable. Low energy.
3–4: You’re hungry and ready to eat.
5–7: You’re satisfied and comfortably full.
8–10: You’re overfull. Bloated. Sluggish.
The goal is to use this as a general guideline:
Start eating around a 3–4.
Finish around a 5-7 range.
This isn’t about restriction. It’s about noticing what happens in your body when you check-in. The more often you check in, the more you start to rebuild that connection with yourself.
Slow down!!
We live in a fast paced world. We eat in the car, in front of screens, between meetings and standing at the counter. And then we wonder why we feel disconnected. Because putting food into your body is sacred.
So this week, try:
Putting your phone away while eating.
Taking 2-3 big breaths before you start your meal.
Pausing and noticing the taste and texture of your food.
Pausing halfway through and asking “How do I feel right now?”
You don’t need to eat like you’re on a meditation retreat. Just slow down enough to hear your body speak… because it is.
What Self Trust Actually Looks Like
After years of dieting, trust can feel foreign. But here’s what it can look like:
Eating when you’re hungry, without feeling guilty.
Stopping when you’re full, even if there’s food left on your plate.
Knowing you can eat again later (there’s still food in the fridge if I really need it)
Letting your body guide your choices instead of following a set of rules.
Your body is not the enemy. It’s not trying to sabotage you. It’s not broken. It’s been trying to speak to you but you haven’t been listening. Mindful eating is learning to listen again.
Don’t try to “Get It Right”
Just notice when hunger shows up. Notice how fullness feels. Notice what emotions come to the table with you.
Approach it with curiosity instead of criticism. This is about connecting with your body, not controlling it. You don’t need more of “I told you so” or “You shouldn’t have done that”, you need more compassion and understanding. Everything that your mind and body does, is a message.
A message that might say:
“Hey, I need fuel to function properly.”
“Hey, I’m feeling sad — what I actually need right now is human connection.”
“Hey, I need more nutrients today because I’m fighting something off.”
“Hey, I’m stressed — what I really need is a break from work.”
And the most beautiful part about mindful eating? The more you practice, the more natural it becomes to connect with that inner knowing.
