You have five basic senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. You can experience food through all of them. To make the experience of eating more satisfying, focus on engaging your senses when you eat.

Before diving into your meal, take time to notice the colors and textures of the food on your plate. Take in the smells. If it’s a food that can be eaten without utensils, pick it up and notice how it feels.

Then, once it’s in your mouth, instead of quickly chewing and swallowing it, really savor that first bite. Take time to actually taste your food. You’ll be surprised at how different and how much better your food might taste when you actually pay attention.

The act of paying attention, or being mindful, as you eat is the key to making food more enjoyable and the experience of eating more satisfying.

For anyone working towards a healthier weight, practicing mindfulness is essential to your efforts. Mindfulness helps you become an intuitive eater: someone who is in tune with their hunger signals and uses internal body cues to guide their food choices.