Learning to adapt to different social situations is part of creating a realistic healthy lifestyle change. During the weekend, we may like to enjoy a night out (or in!) with our loved ones which can involve food and alcohol.

If you choose to enjoy a meal out with family or friends over the weekend, we have a helpful guide here with top tips for planning ahead, making mindful choices, and removing any feelings of guilt afterwards. These points can also be applied if opting for a takeaway too.

If you'd like to include alcohol during the weekend, our guide here explains how you can combine alcohol as part of a healthy lifestyle without it affecting your health goals.

Eating and drinking mindfully is an important way to help us become more aware of what we’re eating, how much we’re eating, and why we’re eating it. In the long run, this can help us to stay in tune with what our body really needs. Below are some examples of how you can include mindful eating and drinking techniques into your routine - why not have a go and let us know how you get on with trying these?

Imagine yourself enjoying your favourite meal out with your friends. With each bite of food you take, try to think of the 20:20:20 strategy:

While eating in this way, take note of your senses: how does your food look? How does it smell? How does it taste? What does the texture feel like in your mouth?

Similarly to the example above, when drinking alcohol take note again of your senses. How does your drink look? What does it smell like? How does it taste? What does the texture feel like in your mouth?

Overall, the goal of mindfulness is to practice paying attention on purpose. In the case of mindful eating and drinking, this means turning your full attention to the process of choosing, preparing, and consuming your food and drink. This can both enhance our satisfaction levels and help with portion control. It's a win-win situation!

Written by Jemma Joel, Second Nature Health Coach

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