What did you eat for breakfast yesterday? This is a basic question, but answering it is a challenge for some people. The problem is not necessarily because of poor memory, but rather because of poor eating habits.

Many of us eat mindlessly, without giving much thought to what we’re eating. This is common when we’re snacking, but it happens during meals too. If you woke up this morning, opened up your fridge and ate whatever caught your fancy without thinking about the calorie and nutrient ramifications of your decision, then there is a good chance you won’t remember what or how much you ate by tomorrow.

If you aren’t careful, the habit of mindless eating can lead to overeating and weight gain. This is one eating habit that you’ll need to correct during your medical weight loss program.

Tips to Stop Mindless Eating

To overcome mindless eating, you’ll need to consider your eating decisions more carefully. This might sound simple, but can actually involve reworking much of the way you think about food.

Here are a few tips to become more mindful about what you eat:

• Keep a journal: This is a simple step to improving how much you think about your diet. Every time you eat something, take out your pen and paper (or smartphone) and record it. Jot down the portion size, number of calories and nutrients that you consumed.
• Plan ahead: If what you are going to eat for dinner tonight is even more baffling a question than what you already had for breakfast, it may be time to plan your meals better. Planning ahead takes the spontaneity out of eating and helps you structure healthy meals before hunger impairs the decision-making process.
• Cut out distractions: Make an effort to eliminate as many distractions as possible while you eat. This involves turning off the TV, eating at a table instead of your desk and putting away your smartphone while you enjoy your food. Instead of diverting your attention elsewhere, think about what is on your plate.

Eliminating mindless eating can significantly improve your diet as you lose weight. Try making more conscious dietary decisions and cooking meals that you enjoy. Being more mindful of the foods you eat can help you cut out some of the snacking and oversized portions that might have made losing weight difficult in the past.