But what about the how and why of eating?

"We all develop a lot of automatic patterns around eating, " says Kristeller, co-founder of the Center for Mindful Eating, who has a doctorate in psychology and whose research focus is food intake regulation and eating disorders.

We know a whole lot about what (kale) and what not -- (potato chips) to eat.

"Eating everything on our plate is a perfect example of one of those patterns. " she says.

"Mindful eating is (about) bringing your attention to a more calm place, " says Kristeller.

Those questions are just as important, says Vanessa King, nutrition professor at American University and a proponent of "mindful eating"-- the how and why of eating -- along with the what.

If observing is the first step, the second step is connecting the body and the mind, says Elise Museles, a nutrition and eating psychology educator in Bethesda.

贝赛斯达的营养和饮食心理教育家Elise Museles说,如果观察是第一步,那第二步就是身体和心灵的连接.

"And then you might start observing yourself and learning about yourself in a nonjudgmental way."

Another tool is to keep a food diary.

"I find that for many of us, the biggest thing we're missing is what our body is telling us," Museles says. "Slowing down allows you to taste and feel textures, to feel full sooner with less."

It makes you observe your behavior in a whole new way, King says.

"Mindful eating is about cultivating that inner gourmet -- really letting yourself enjoy the food you enjoy -- just in smaller quantities." Kristeller says. Thank you.

Presenting the food in a pleasing way is part of that slowing-down process.