Have you ever opened an bag of chips and before you knew it, you were emptying the last crumbs with not much recollection of eating? Do you want to feel satisfied and not overeat? Want to digest your food better? Looking for a good challenge? Eating mindfully will help you train your mind, eat only what is necessary for your body and digest your food well.
Pre-Step: Do nothing else. No homework, work, reading, watching a movie, thinking about what you are going to do after. Just eat. If you are with friends, be with them in the present moment with your meal, rather that talking memories or plans.
Step ONE: Aesthetics: Set the table in a way that brings you peace. Free the setting of clutter, and give yourself enough room to eat. Put your meal together with love. Arrange the food so it looks good to you. Bonus: light a candle to help you bring your attention back to your eating.
Step TWO: Give thanks. Be thankful for the food in front of you and everything that has brought it to your plate. The sunshine, the farmers, the truck drivers, the worms, your paycheck, your bicycle. There are infinite things to be thankful for. Also, give thanks for your health and the people in your life who you love. You always have a choice to put your attention on what's missing in your life, or what you are grateful for.
Step THREE: Breathe through your nose. Digestion starts with the eyes, then with the smell. When you smell you food you actually activate the digestion in your belly.
Step FOUR: Chew. Your teeth are there to break down your food into mush. Your saliva is a big digestive aid too. Your body is so smart in that the more you chew, the more saliva is secreted, and the easier time your body will have digesting. This is why you should chew your liquids too!
Step FIVE: Slowly. One helpful tip is to put down your fork, spoon, spork, chopsticks with every bite. Chew until you cannot chew anymore. Breathe. And then take another bite. Sometimes I catch myself with another fork-full waiting impatiently at my face while I am chewing. When I notice myself doing this, I put my fork down and give myself a few minutes to relax again. It takes roughly 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it is full. Therefore, if you eat too fast, you won't be getting the signal until it's too late.
Give these steps a try. Try them all or just one at a time. The order is not as important as just trying the ones you are interested in playing with. If your schedule does not allow time for mindful eating, please consider doing a little time management or reformatting of your schedule. Your body will thank you for it.
With Gratitude,
Eric-James** photo borrowed thanks to thingswelove2.blogspot.com, which is also a good article about mindful eating =)
Pre-Step: Do nothing else. No homework, work, reading, watching a movie, thinking about what you are going to do after. Just eat. If you are with friends, be with them in the present moment with your meal, rather that talking memories or plans.
Step ONE: Aesthetics: Set the table in a way that brings you peace. Free the setting of clutter, and give yourself enough room to eat. Put your meal together with love. Arrange the food so it looks good to you. Bonus: light a candle to help you bring your attention back to your eating.
Step TWO: Give thanks. Be thankful for the food in front of you and everything that has brought it to your plate. The sunshine, the farmers, the truck drivers, the worms, your paycheck, your bicycle. There are infinite things to be thankful for. Also, give thanks for your health and the people in your life who you love. You always have a choice to put your attention on what's missing in your life, or what you are grateful for.
Step THREE: Breathe through your nose. Digestion starts with the eyes, then with the smell. When you smell you food you actually activate the digestion in your belly.
Step FOUR: Chew. Your teeth are there to break down your food into mush. Your saliva is a big digestive aid too. Your body is so smart in that the more you chew, the more saliva is secreted, and the easier time your body will have digesting. This is why you should chew your liquids too!
Step FIVE: Slowly. One helpful tip is to put down your fork, spoon, spork, chopsticks with every bite. Chew until you cannot chew anymore. Breathe. And then take another bite. Sometimes I catch myself with another fork-full waiting impatiently at my face while I am chewing. When I notice myself doing this, I put my fork down and give myself a few minutes to relax again. It takes roughly 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it is full. Therefore, if you eat too fast, you won't be getting the signal until it's too late.
Give these steps a try. Try them all or just one at a time. The order is not as important as just trying the ones you are interested in playing with. If your schedule does not allow time for mindful eating, please consider doing a little time management or reformatting of your schedule. Your body will thank you for it.
With Gratitude,
Eric-James** photo borrowed thanks to thingswelove2.blogspot.com, which is also a good article about mindful eating =)
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