How to eat mindfully

A simple phrase that helps me wake up and enjoy my food

I’ve been on dozens of meditation retreats, and one of the strangest yet most instructive parts of the experience is eating meals silently and mindfully. No distractions. Just you and your food.

Once you get past how bizarre it feels at first, it becomes a revelation. You actually taste your food. In fact, it tastes way better than anything you eat in the outside world. You feel the jaw working. You notice the habitual activities of the peculiar thing we call a tongue.

And in the end, you eat less. Not because you need to be on a diet or anything, but because you’re actually listening to your body’s satiety cues.

And yet, when I come home, I always forget to eat mindfully. Worse, I often intentionally decide to eat mindlessly, with the television on or scrolling on my phone. And then, often, I overeat to the point where I don’t feel great.

My friend, Evelyn Tribole, who has co-created a framework around intuitive eating, gave me a phrase to repeat in my mind right before eating—to help wake me up and remind me to eat mindfully. As is my wont, I initially rejected the phrase because I considered it to be cheesy. But now, I find it incredibly useful.

Here it is:

This is a sacred time to nourish the body.

I know, I know…that phrase may seem a little forced or saccharine. But if you get over yourself and actually use it, I suspect it will have positive results.

Don’t just take my word for it. The research is in its early stages, but there’s some evidence that mindful eating can reduce emotional eating, boost hunger/fullness cues, and reduce caloric intake.

In today’s episode of the podcast I talk with Dr. Robynne Chutkan, a leading expert in gut health. To accompany the episode, paid subscribers also get a guided meditation from one of my favorite dharma teachers, Cara Lai, who walks you through how to eat mindfully.

Finally—tomorrow (Tuesday, June 17th) I'll be going live at 3:30pm ET for paid subscribers. I'll guide a meditation and then answer your questions. Hope to see you there.

Paid subscribers get the 10% Happier podcast ad-free. It’s also available wherever you get your podcasts, and on YouTube.

Paid subscribers also get:

• A cheatsheet for each podcast episode — with key takeaways, time-coded highlights, and a transcript

• The ability to comment on posts and participate in subscriber chats

• Access to our twice-monthly live video sessions, in which I guide a meditation and take questions

• Bespoke meditations from Cara Lai every Monday and Wednesday for the month of June

Join the party.

Episode Cheatsheet

The big takeaway

Dr. Robynne Chutkan, a world-renowned gastroenterologist, shares why gut health is at the absolute center of our overall wellbeing—impacting not only digestion but also mental health, immunity, and even mood. She gives straightforward, evidence-backed tools to keep your microbiome (and mind) in optimal condition.

Your Gut, Your Brain, Your Mood: Real Strategies for Microbial Bliss, key takeaways: