I recently completed advanced training in mindful eating. For one exercise, we were asked to bring a box of Lorna Doone shortbread cookies. I'd never had them before.
During class, we slowed way down. We noticed the smell, the texture, the first bite.
And I realized something: I didn't like them. There wasn't much flavor, and the texture lingered in my mouth in a way that was unpleasant.
What happened next was harder to admit. The rest of the box went into our pantry. Over the next couple of weeks, I caught myself reaching for those cookies as a "sweet treat," eating them quickly, and realizing afterward that I hadn't even liked them when I slowed down to notice.
It was a humbling reminder that I have work to do, too. It's so easy to slip back into default habits, even when we know better. That's why anything that truly works, and truly matters to us, takes practice.
I see the same thing with clients all the time:
Mindful eating isn't a quick fix or something you finish.
It's something you come back to, meal after meal, especially on the days you forget.
Why plans feel good, and why they fade
Plans are appealing. They tell us what to eat, when, and how much. For a few weeks, that structure can feel like relief.
But plans live outside of us. When life gets full, the plan gets set aside, and we're back where we started, often feeling like we failed.
A practice is different. It lives inside us. Like walking, or yoga, or prayer, it gets steadier the more often we return to it, and it's still there on the busy days.
If you'd like a refresher on the basics, I shared simple ways to start in Mindful Eating for Real Life. Today I want to talk about what keeps it going.
What new research shows
A study published this year in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity followed adults with overweight or obesity at a hospital nutrition clinic in France.
Half joined an 8-week mindful eating group. They met weekly, practiced short exercises at home, and paid attention to hunger, fullness, and emotions around food. The other half received the clinic's standard nutrition education.
Compared with the other group, the mindful eating group became more aware of how they ate. They also did less emotional eating, and less eating triggered by outside cues, like the sight or smell of food. Those changes were still there a month after the program ended.
It was a small study, so it's one encouraging piece of a bigger picture, not the final word. But look at what made it work: regular practice, over weeks, with support. Not a perfect plan.
What a practice looks like in real life
A practice doesn't need to be big. It needs to be repeated. Here's a simple way to practice at your next meal or snack, using my PAVE Method™:
Pay attention. Before you eat, pause. Take a few deep breaths to slow down and check in with yourself.
Ask. How hungry am I, really?
Vision. How do I want to feel during this meal? How do I want to feel when I'm done? How do my choices fit the person I want to become?
Edit. As you eat, slow down, pause and reflect. Make small adjustments in what, how much, or how fast you're eating, based on how you feel.
You'll forget sometimes. Everyone does. Noticing that you forgot is part of the practice. The people in the study practiced for eight weeks, and small changes add up when you keep coming back.
This week there's a natural place to start: Halloween. If a piece of candy finds its way to you, slow down for that one piece. Unwrap it. Notice the smell, the first taste, and whether the third bite is as good as the first. Enjoy the experience. Then stop when the delightful taste fades, when you feel full, or when you decide you've had enough.
No rules or judgment. Just attention in the moment.
A free practice for you
I created A Simple Mindful Eating Practice, a free 5-day email series to help you stay present through the holidays. Each day brings one short email with one small practice you can do in a few minutes. Use it before the holidays, during them, or repeat it through the end of the year.
It's ready now. Start the free 5-day practice.
And if you'd like one research-backed idea and one small action every Tuesday, join my list here for my weekly email.
One more thing
Early-bird pricing for Slovenia: The Art of Living Well (June 10–20, 2027) ends Saturday, October 31. Slow, shared meals are part of the journey. See the trip.
Sources
Van Beekum, et al. (2026). The mind-eat program leads to greater improvements in mindful, emotional, and external eating compared to intuitive eating-oriented education in adults with overweight or obesity: a randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-026-01931-y