Mindful Eating

Mindful Eating Dietitian Nutritionist in the St. Louis Area, Missouri, and Illinois

Get Mindful Eating Strategies from Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and Improve Your Relationship with Food and Body

What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating is the practice of paying full attention to the overall experience of eating, utilizing all your senses without judgment or distraction and being fully present in the eating experience.

How to practice mindful eating?

As non-diet dietitian nutritionists, we offer online or in-person medical nutrition therapy, recovery coaching for eating disorders, online support groups, and nutrition counseling to help our clients improve their relationship with food and body.

A few examples of practicing mindful eating include:

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  • Pausing before Eating: Take a look at your plate, and notice the colors and the different foods on the plate.

  • Eating without Distractions: Whether you are with family, friends, or alone, make eating a priority. Far too often we juggle the act of eating with helping our kids with homework, getting caught up with work emails, and more. Turn off the TV, put away your cell phone, and simply eat. Science has shown us that what makes us healthy is not only what we eat but also how we eat. 

  • Engaging all Five Senses: Pay attention to the aromas, flavors, and textures of your meal. Savoring food supports healthy digestion. 

  • Tuning into Hunger and Fullness: Eating mindfully will help you move toward intuitive eating, and learning to trust your body again.

  • Chewing Slowly and Mindfully: Take your time! 

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​Listening to your body, being non-judgmental, and reflecting on the experience of eating will make a difference in your overall health and the relationship you have with food and your body. This can take practice. 

How to help nutrition clients develop mindful eating practices:

The complicated relationship you may have developed with food and your body has taken years; likewise, learning to implement mindful eating can take time.

Not all of the above practices need to be met to be more mindful during meals and snacks. Begin focusing on one or two of the above techniques to improve your overall relationship with food and self.

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Give yourself time to learn to appreciate and find pleasure when eating again. When you do, you are not only supporting healthy eating behaviors, but you’re also giving your body a much-needed dopamine boost. 

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Finding pleasure in eating:

  • Can connect you to your family traditions, heritage, and flavors

  • Will help you digest and metabolize food quicker (this is true!)

  • Pushes back against the diet culture

  • Increases social connection

  • Provides your body with emotional nourishment

How can mindful eating help the LOCE (Loss of Control Over Eating)?

Mindful eating can help with LOCE by reducing stress and tension around the eating experience. It allows for more awareness around food intake, being able to recognize potential triggers, facilitating emotional regulation, and allowing one to really savor the eating experience by focusing on the taste, texture, and aroma of the food. It’s important to note that mindful eating is a practice that takes time knowing that the loss of control of eating did not happen overnight and it will not get better overnight either.

Does insurance cover nutrition therapy for anorexia?

We are in-network with many insurance companies. Insurance-based nutrition counseling is based on your insurance provider’s approval and specific insurance plan. We can only provide services based on what they allow, following their specific guidelines. Such perimeters include:

  • Limitations in visits

  • Requiring a certain amount of time in between appointments

  • No additional support between appointments

  • Check your medical nutrition therapy benefits here.

 

While nutritional counseling can be beneficial for various conditions, we find that, specifically for those suffering from disordered eating, continuous support and ongoing accountability is the game changer in achieving recovery.

We believe that full recovery is possible with the right support and treatment. We look forward to being part of your healing process.

Our Team of Dietitian Nutritionists in the Greater St. Louis Area

Branz Nutrition Counseling is a team of certified eating disorder dietitians who provide compassionate care to those struggling with their relationship to food. Our approach is weight-inclusive, LGBTQIA+, and social justice-oriented, which means that we believe that everyone deserves access to quality care. 

 

We can’t wait to meet you!

With locations in Illinois and Missouri, we offer both virtual and in-person counseling sessions. And, we are licensed to provide Telehealth nutrition therapy to  patients around the country.

​Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Missouri | New York | Texas | Virginia

We see clients in person in the St. Louis area, Missouri, Illinois, and from around the country via Telehealth. Learn more here.

Scroll to see the whole team.

How It Works – An Easy Three-Step Process to Get You on the Road to Recovery

Make An Appointment

What service do you need? We offer a range of appointments of different durations to best fit your needs.

Meet with your Personal Dietitian

Be paired with the dietitian nutritionist on our team and get continued support with one of our online groups. One-on-one counseling, in-person, or virtual. WE TAKE INSURANCE!

Take Control of Your Life

Heal your relationship with food and your body. Choose the best foods for your unique needs. Get the tools you need to live a healthy life. Receive continued support.

Note: In order to secure a spot on a dietitian’s schedule, we need a valid payment method on file.

Our Testimonials

Thank you for choosing us as the Best Dietitian Practice in STL (2023)

  • There have been times where my daughter will eat 4 bowls of carrots and turn down a cookie, and there have been times where she will want all the fruit snacks and nothing else, but it doesn’t stress me out because I know now that it’s just what her body wants in the moment. The information provided in your course not only helps my kids, but also opened my eyes to some of my own internal struggles around sugar and meal times!"

  • My sister Gifted this program to me and I'm so glad she did! I've already gotten so much out of watching the modules and reading the PDFs."

  • Understanding and implementing the Division of Responsibility in Feeding really takes the pressure off meal times. I love sitting down to enjoy dinner with my family and I hope it’s a memory my kids enjoy when they’re older too."

  • Also, againg, thank you for being so kind to "A". She usually does not like seeing "doctor like people", but she actually enjoys coming to see you, so that says a lot.

    by Mother of a Patient, Saint Louis, MO

  • I can't thank you enough for all you have done for us. I know we will continue to deal with food issues but at least I see hope. I honestly don't know how L(or myself) could have got through the past year without you. You literally are a lifesaver!! You are an amazing dietitian!!.

    by Mother of a Patient

  • Thank you for the caring devoted service and gentle compassion you have shown "S" over the years.

    by Mother of a Patient, Saint Louis, MO

  • I am truly grateful we found you to be he nutritionist. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

    by Mother of a Patient, Saint Louis, MO

  • "For most of my life, I have correlated the size of my body to being loved and accepted. The smaller I am, the more lovable and acceptable I am. Giving up the dieting, the rules, and the noise has given me the freedom to trust, appreciate and accept love from others as well as myself".

    by

  • I truly appreciate the encouragement and hearfelt, genuine concern you have for me. Your counsel and empathy have meant a great deal and helped keep me going during difficult times.

    by C, Saint Louis, MO

  • Thanks for helping me think about food differently and providing guidance regarding how to select carbs. Also, thanks for helping me recognize that the evolution would take several months to come to a 'new normal'.

    by E, Saint Louis, MO

We Accept Insurance

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Branz Nutrition in the Media

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Nutrition Blog & Latest News

Our team of Dietitians offers online support as well as in-person appointments in MO and IL.