Mindful Eating Is Level One: Reconnect Before You Add Rules

By Dr. Mélanie DesChâtelets, ND · Naturopathic Doctor and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner · Burnaby and virtual care across BC

You can have the best nutrition IQ in the world, but if you’re disconnected from your body, I don’t believe it works long term. That’s why I think mindful eating is level one, the foundation of the house. Most people build from the roof down: rules, macros, protein targets, all stacked on top of a body they’ve stopped listening to. And that disconnection makes everything else feel harder, no matter how “healthy” the food is. So let me show you why mindful eating comes first, and how to start reconnecting in a way that finally makes the rest work.

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Why isn’t your healthy eating working?

Often it’s because the foundation got skipped. I’ve had patients laser-focused on hitting a protein goal who realize late in the day they’re behind, so they chug four shakes before bed. On paper, goal met, check the box. But when I ask the mindful questions (how did your digestion feel? how was your energy?), the answer is “off” and “I’m struggling.” That’s the tell. Mindful eating is the foundation because it helps you catch the red flags even when you think you’re checking all the boxes.

Why does digestion need a relaxed state?

Because we were designed to eat in one. Meet your autonomic nervous system: think “automatic,” because it shifts you toward parasympathetic (rest and digest) or sympathetic (stress) on its own. If a bear were chasing you, you’d want your heart rate up and blood flowing to your legs without having to think about it. The catch is that today’s stress is mostly mental and psychological, and many of us live in that go-go state far longer than it was meant to last. In that sympathetic state (think “S is for stress,” to help you remember), the body deprioritizes digestion, because digesting lunch isn’t the priority when you’re surviving. Picture food as a pearl necklace and your body’s job as making scissors to break it down. In the stress state, you make only a few scissors. In the parasympathetic state, you make more saliva, more stomach acid, more enzymes, so you’re breaking down that same necklace with far more scissors. This is just physiology.

How do you check in with your nervous system?

Start by noticing your own stress cues. In the sympathetic state, breaths tend to be short and shallow, shoulders and jaw get tight, heart rate climbs. Learn what your body does when it’s in that mode. And here’s an important nuance: stress can be good. Some of my highest achievers say “I’m not stressed, I love my work,” and they’re right. Stress helps you perform, deliver, and show up. I’m not here to vilify it. It’s just not the right mode for digestion. Being “stressed” here doesn’t mean freaking out, it can simply mean you’re in the get-it-done state, and you need a moment to downshift before you eat.

How do you shift into “rest and digest” before a meal?

Here’s the cool part: the nervous system runs automatically, but you also have a say. Because it’s so tied to your breathing, you can actively raise the tone of your parasympathetic, rest-and-digest response. So bring back the pre-meal ritual. A few minutes of slow, deep breathing before you eat can genuinely shift your state and set the stage. Breathing isn’t the only way to do this, but it’s one of the most accessible places to start.

What does it actually mean to eat mindfully?

It means being right here, in the now, with your food. I think it’s one of the biggest acts of self-love we have, and we get to do it several times a day. So notice the environment: the lights, the pace, the presence. Eating in front of the TV or scrolling your phone is a bit like ghosting your own body. I’m not here to vilify those things, they have a real place in joy and downtime, but studies show again and again that when we’re distracted, we eat significantly more, because we can’t hear our cues. So try eating without the big distractions sometimes. Music, a candle, slowing down, whatever turns eating into presence instead of just function. You’re dating yourself here. What does that look like?

How do you slow down and read fullness?

Fullness takes time to register, so if you eat fast, you blow right past it. If quick, rushed eating sounds like you, try timing a meal, then actively stretching it by five minutes. Chew slowly, pause between bites, put the fork down. Pick whatever works. Then get curious instead of controlling: what does 80% full actually feel like? What does over-full feel like? If you’re not sure yet, that’s fine, the curiosity itself is the first step. Mindful eating is about being present with your body in the moment, not policing it.

Does mindful eating replace nutrition knowledge?

No. It grounds it. Evidence-based nutrition still matters, it’s just layered in on top of connection, not forced on top of disconnection. I’ve worked with people who felt great on a very high-fat way of eating and had genuinely tuned into their bodies (a real win), but the structure still mattered: it turned out to be far more energy-dense than their body needed. And with insulin resistance, the signals can get noisy, more cravings, a bit disconnected from what you actually need. That’s exactly when we add gentle structure on the foundation: how are the fruits and vegetables, the fiber, the minimum protein? Those things sharpen cravings, satiety, and metabolic health, so the signals get clearer again. Nutrition IQ supports the connection. It doesn’t replace it.

▶ Want the full walk-through, including the breathing homework for your next meal? Watch the complete video here. As a member bonus I made 30 mindful-eating affirmations to reinforce this kind of thinking. Grab them by joining Shift Society and heading to the classroom.

This article is educational, not medical advice or a diagnosis. If something here resonates, bring it to your healthcare team, who can look at it through the lens of your individual health.

Main references

1. Teede HJ, et al. Recommendations from the 2023 International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023. PubMed