Mindful Eating Placemat FREE Download

"I always seem distracted at the table! It's so hard to focus and be mindful!" "If only I had an environment that helped encourage and support me!"

You'll find yourself cheerfully pulled to the present moment with this mindfulness visual cue 4"x6" Print featuring 7 mindful prompts. Display this in your kitchen, on your fridge, at your table, under your plate, or gift it to a friend to show them your support of their Mindful Eating Recovery Journey.

**This version is a FREE digital download. Donations are optional for those who are able to help with our ongoing mission to create colorful mindfulness tools.

**How to print this page: Click "I want this", enter your email address, open your email and download the image, open the download on your computer, make sure printing size is set to "Letter" 11x8.5 in; hit "print," Enjoy!

**You may experience muted colors or slight variations in colors depending on the quality of your printer ink, printer settings, and paper quality. Recommended to print on heavy high-quality cardstock paper. (Tip: for using this at the table, "laminate" it in clear packaging tape for easy cleaning!)

**See other options for purchasing a full-color laminated placemat, artcard, laminated placemat + clear plate, or free coloring page version.

Many wishes for your Joyful Mindful Eating Practice!

The Early Berg Studio - It's time to make Recovery Fun!

Disclaimer:

I, Elisa Berg (The Early Berg Studio LLC), am not a licensed mental health professional or nutritionist. I do not have a license to practice the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. **Although I include discussions of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions in my sessions and products, I do not practice therapy, and I do not have a therapy degree.

To be of best service to those I work with and to stick to my values, I focus on artistic expression to educate and raise awareness of mental health issues. I will at all times exercise my best professional efforts, skills and care. However, I cannot guarantee the outcome of my efforts and/or recommendations on my blog, email series or services and my comments about the outcome are expressions of opinion only. I cannot make any guarantees other than to deliver the services purchased as described.

ABOUT THE PROMPTS:

Interrupt the Pattern: Eating behaviors follow patterns! This is your mindfulness cue for the times you think, “I feel like I’m zoning out, numbing out, or getting distracted.” What are some ways you break out of the pattern? Try changing your environment, sitting at the table, writing down how you feel about your food, or making a list of ways that you practice interrupting your distraction patterns. You can do this!

I can always have more food: If you’re a member of the clean-your-plate-crew, you’re used to finishing what is left on your plate. This is your mindfulness cue if you’re thinking, “I feel guilty if I don’t finish the food on my plate.” A mindful journey gives permission for incremental growth over time. Practice observing your thoughts and behaviors. You’ve got this.

There will be enough: “I’m afraid there won’t be enough food and I’ll be hungry.” This is your mindfulness cue to recognize food desperation and compulsion to eat what you can (before it’s gone). Diet culture conditions you to restrict and be hungry, and it cultivates a fear that there will not be enough food. This is your mindfulness cue to observe your thoughts and feelings about your food. Will the amount of food you eat honor your hunger and satiety cues?

Balanced Plate: Your body needs energy to keep up with all of the amazing things you do throughout your day. A balanced plate is a mindfulness cue to notice what side of the satiety pendulum you are swinging on. Are you swinging to one side, ravenous with hunger? Are you swinging to the other side of the pendulum, overstuffed and full? Or are you balancing yourself (your plate AND your day) somewhere in the middle? This can look like practicing with guidelines for satisfying portions (like a fistful of carbs, a palm of protein, and a thumb of oils), and seeing which foods satisfy you. As you sit at the table, practice observing where you are on the pendulum.

Stay in this: “I keep getting distracted from my food goals.” It takes practice to carve new paths and patterns of behavior. The mindful eating journey is a practice. So, as you practice, this mindfulness cue reminds you to “stay in this!” As you sit at the table intentionally, you are creating new patterns of behavior. It’s easier to follow old patterns. You sometimes need a visual cue to help you re-focus. This is that cue. This is that moment. You can do this, stay in this! It’s not easy, and we’re so proud of you!

Did you plan?: Mindfulness isn’t a “diet”, but it DOES require planning. You think ahead, plan, get a grocery list together, and get the groceries. It’s a lot of work. As you sit down at the table with this placemat… this is your cue to be pulled into the moment. “Did you plan this week?” If not, get a piece of paper and plan it out. Done is better than perfect. You can do this!

Why am I eating?: Being mindful and being present can be as simple as asking yourself “Why am I eating?” This is your mindfulness cue to observe how you are feeling without shame or criticism. As you recognize your patterns, you will Practice observing what you might be numbing out to, zoning out from, being distracted from, or feeling in the moment. Try writing down how you are feeling. Practice mapping your patterns and curating a list of cues that work for YOU.