What does it mean to eat mindfully? Mindful eating means paying attention to your actual eating experience — while at the same time enjoying it. It means submersing yourself fully into your meal, without multitasking. This can be tough in today’s fast-paced world. Many studies have shown that eating while watching television or doing other activities at the same time can lead to an increase in calories consumed. The overall goal of mindful eating is to base your food intake on physical cues (i.e. hunger) versus emotional cues. Finding time to slow down during meals and enjoy the food you are eating is very important to developing a healthy lifestyle. Here are some important tips to incorporate mindful eating into everyday life:

• Eat slower. Take time to enjoy the food you are eating. Chew your food a little bit longer than you normally would. This will give your stomach time to tell your brain that it is full, and you might even taste new flavors.

• Enjoy silence. Eating does not necessarily have to be social hour. Meal time can be used as a time for reflection of the day or the upcoming week. Eating in silence may not work for families with children, but it can be a time to slow down from an otherwise fast-paced world.

• Shut off electronics (i.e. cell phones, television). Life as we know it can be very hectic at times. Make an effort to turn off the TV and put cell phones down. You may even learn something new from a family member or friend from engaging in conversation!

• Take pleasure in the flavor of your food. When people are in a hurry, they tend to not notice what or how much they are eating. Take time to notice all the different flavors in food. This is the perfect time to try that new recipe that you have been dying to try!

Start today by trying mindful eating in your everyday life by preparing nutritious, delicious meals and then taking the time to sit down and enjoy your hard work with family or friends. Start thinking about how you eat, and that might even change what you want to eat — for the better!

Try using mindful eating with the recipe below!

Chicken with Grilled Watermelon Salsa

Serves 4

All you need:

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 mango, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 kiwi, peeled and chopped

1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

4 (5 to 6-oz) chicken breast halves

Non-stick olive oil cooking spray

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1/4 medium seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch-thick slices, rind removed (about 12 oz)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, for serving

All you do:

1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill with a greased grill rack for direct grilling over medium heat.

2. Combine lemon juice and oil in a large bowl. Add blueberries, mango, kiwi and jalapeño. Set aside.

3. Lightly coat chicken breasts with cooking spray and sprinkle with poultry seasoning. Grill chicken 12 minutes or until fully cooked (165 degrees Fahrenheit), turning once. Lightly coat watermelon slices with cooking spray. Grill watermelon just until grill marks form, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer chicken and watermelon to a cutting board; cover chicken loosely with foil and let stand for 5 minutes. Let watermelon stand until cool enough to handle; chop into cubes.

4. Add watermelon to fruit in bowl and toss to combine. Serve chicken topped with grilled fruit salsa. Sprinkle with basil.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 240 calories, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 105mg cholesterol, 65mg sodium, 15g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 11g sugar, 33g protein.

Source: Hy-Vee Balance

Rachelle Deutz is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Marshall.