Healthy diners, rejoice! A recent study released in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior proves that with a little education and a mindful approach, it is possible to maintain and even lose weight while eating out.

35 healthy women who ate out often were assigned to one of two groups: one that offered weekly sessions on education and mindful eating meditations, or one without any counseling. The first group learned about portion sizes, strategies to prevent weight gain in various types of restaurants, setting personal goals, and meditating to increase awareness of feeling hungry or full.

At the end of the six-week period, the women in the first group felt confident about achieving their goal to prevent weight gain, and many lost weight - an average of 3.7 pounds! The women even made some serious caloric cutbacks at home as well, proving that the education from the counseling sessions transformed their eating habits at every meal, not just the ones eaten out.

This study just further proves what we already know about the effectiveness of health coaching. Yet this issue remains a challenge for many, and we live in a culture where dining out is routine. We celebrate special occasions at fancy restaurants, the paper’s latest review urges us to try the pizza joint that just opened up, and business clients would prefer a nice dinner out rather than leftovers at your place.

In today’s fast-paced world we end up eating in the car, at our desks or in front of the TV. We’ve forgotten that eating is its own activity to savor and enjoy. Many times, we are not conscious of how much we are actually eating and end up overeating before we realize that we are actually stuffed.

Here are five ways to slow down and listen to your body:

1.   Sit down to eat. Take time out of your day to enjoy a meal with your family. Not only will this slow you down, but it’s a great bonding experience.

2.   Turn off the television. This will help you focus only on the food. You will also be less likely to be tempted by fast food commercials.

3.   Take a bite, take a breath. Chewing helps with digestion and will allow you to enjoy your food more. Try putting your utensil down in between each bite.

4.   Keep a food journal. Write down what you eat at each meal or snack and how you feel afterwards. This will help you be a more mindful eater.

5.   Cook more. When you prepare your own meals you have control over the quality and quantity of ingredients. Your body’s natural intelligence will fine-tune your cooking style to create meals that are just what you need.

As you slowly incorporate these changes you will become a more conscious eater and be able to recognize if you are actually hungry or full. A recent article on MSNBC highlighted some of these very changes. For more ways to quiet the mind and listen to your body check out the story.