Keep hydrated to eat less, taste more and move more

I feel that drinking water before and during eating hydrates and lubricates my taste buds so that I am better able to taste and enjoy what I eat.

Try to notice how your food tastes when you are thirsty vs. how it tastes when you are well hydrated, especially when it is something dry like crackers.

Don't confuse hunger and thirst

Another very important reason to drink water before eating is to make sure that your body is not confusing hunger with thirst. Sometimes your body is just thirsty so it sends signals of hunger. Your thirst does not get quenched fast enough while you are eating so you feel like you have to eat more and faster to quench that thirst. Being mindful will allow you to recognize thirst for what it is and satisfy it appropriately.

Water creates volume

Water also creates volume in your stomach which makes you feel full, albeit temporarily. It is one of the complex set of signals that make you feel full, in addition to insulin levels in your blood, fat which keeps insulin levels down and stays in your stomach longer, endorphins which keep you happy, etc. Being aware of each of these factors–and factors that are specific to your own body –gives you different tools and strategies to work with.

Peeing is enjoyable.. lol

Drinking water makes you need to pee more often but that's OK. I think of peeing as a joyful experience.

Be mindful of the little joys in life, including the feeling of having to pee and then peeing. Breathe and experience it, it can be mystical.. lol

More trips to the bathroom also means more exercise which contributes to a more active day.