Plating your food hardly seems a strategy but it can be a real game-changer in your evolving relationship with food.

First, let’s get something straight, plating our food is not about counting calories or curbing overeating habits. Plating food is about changing how we experience eating. We all have a relationship with food whether we know it or not. For most people, that relationship could be better, healthier, and even more pleasurable.

When we plate our food and snap a picture of it, we see the experience of eating from a different angle. We can identify patterns in our eating habits, revealing repetitive choices that may have grown out of tastes but more likely out of convenience. We eat things because they are easy and taste ok.

Reviewing the pictures, we can practice identifying the macronutrients, protein, fat, and carbohydrates, on the plate. Instead of mindlessly consuming meals that follow nutrient patterns that have contributed to insulin resistance, we can begin to make changes that reverse the process.

Moreover, plating our food forces us to stop snacking straight from bags or boxes. We become acutely aware of our snacking habits. We might discover that our meals are unsatisfying, so we snack a bit more. We might find out that certain snack foods make it difficult to stop eating.

Plating forces us to eat a bit more intentionally. Intentional eating can have a significant impact on our bodies, so let’s commit to eating consciously, focusing only on the act of eating, and avoiding distractions like phones, television or even reading. Always sit down to eat. Don’t eat while walking or driving.

Plating your food, and taking a picture of each meal can be the start of a whole new and wonderful relationship with food.