We all eat. But how mindful are we of every bite we take?
Your mother always told you to slow down and taste your food. That's great advice, especially when we find ourselves grabbing a quick snack on the run or eating a meal while driving. How we eat says as much about us as what we choose to eat.
We can learn a great deal by paying attention to our eating habits. Our appetites change depending on our moods. If we're depressed, we may eat more than usual or we may lose our appetite completely. When we are consumed by an emotion such as anger or sadness, we may not be aware of our eating habits at all.
Paying attention to the way you eat is a great way to develop a more mindful approach to life in general. Since eating is something we do several times a day, it's a perfect activity to pair with mindfulness. If you can choose to eat a meal alone-at work or at home-you have a perfect opportunity to create greater awareness at the same time.
Ready to give it a try?
Sit in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for several minutes. Taking the time to present your food in an appealing way may be helpful for this exercise. At the very least, unwrap your food and discard any packaging.
If possible, take a look at the food before you put it on a plate. Spend a moment focusing on the food itself-the colors, textures, and aromas. Consider the nutrients in the food, and focus on what it will do for your body.
Now, shift your attention to your empty plate. This is the vessel that will hold the food you choose to put into your body. Notice the shape, the size and the color of the plate. Take a moment to consider the space that the food will fill on this plate.
Next, spend a moment concentrating on your body. Look at your belly. Feel your hunger. Pay attention to your craving, your anticipation of the flavors, and the way they will taste on your tongue.
As you serve the food and place it on your plate, be mindful of the fact that this will be nourishing your body. Whatever you choose to place on your plate will ultimately serve as fuel for your activities and contribute to your energy and wellness.
Now, take a bite of the food you have served yourself. Chew slowly, and pay attention to the flavor and texture of this bite. Feel the food sliding down your throat, and consider how it will be digested by your system to create energy for your body. With each bite, notice the sensation of chewing and swallowing. Savor the taste. Swallow completely before taking another bite. As you take the last bite, pay attention to the fullness in your belly, and note the satisfaction of completing a mindful meal.
Try eating mindfully during one meal a day for a week. For your regular, faster meals, notice when you find yourself eating without paying attention. Intentionally slow down so that you can enjoy that one bite before speeding up again. Doing this regularly will give you a much better understanding of what you are feeding your body-and how.
By becoming more mindful of our eating, we learn to pay attention to what feeds us, both literally and figuratively. Our food choices affect our wellness, and our approach to eating spills over into the way we handle our work, our relationships, and our lives in general. We must learn to recognize patterns in our behavior in order to create more awareness and harmony.
Mindlessly chewing whatever we fork into our mouths is akin to ignoring our actions in general. With a few moments of daily mindful eating, you will develop a much greater awareness of your choices and their power over all aspects of your life.
About The Author
Deva Ratnakara has been teaching mindfulness and yoga for more than twenty years. He lives in Sri Lanka where he is the head of a 500-member meditation group. To learn about his retreat in February 2005, please visit http://truemindfulness.org.
shuttle from O'Hare Brocton .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareI gotta confess: I'm completely addicted to crisps. Any kind... Read More
Quick, what's the first thought that pops into your head... Read More
Choosing the right diet type is the most important decision... Read More
Have you ever experienced this scenario before?"I have successfully lost... Read More
When I decided to lose weight I of course decided... Read More
You know what is so amazing? We get to keep... Read More
In order to lose weight, your body must burn more... Read More
If you are about to begin a diet, the number... Read More
Adherence to diet for one year, not the specific diet... Read More
In health clubs, they run classes that call themselves "aerobics".... Read More
Believe it or not, losing a little or a lot... Read More
The Liver The function of your kidneys is to filter... Read More
What is low carb?We've all heard about the Atkins diet... Read More
Have you ever stopped to calculate how much time you... Read More
America is getting more obese every year. Even our children... Read More
Cardio Exercise...A huge variety of fitness activities provide cardiovascular benefits.... Read More
Before you try starving yourself or turning to diet drugs... Read More
You know you have will-power. You can change a diaper... Read More
The Atkins diet can be boring because of the limited... Read More
It's really difficult for a person to socialise if he... Read More
I'm sure you have heard it before, but one of... Read More
Dieting is not easy. If it were, we would probably... Read More
1. Persistence!Violate this step and you'll never achieve permanent results.... Read More
Your pants are a bit tight, you can't seem to... Read More
Water is useful when we are trying for losing weight.... Read More
Chicago charter limousine service Hickory Hills ..As parents who've had gastric bypass we face many challenges... Read More
Dieters have long searched for secret paths to easy weight... Read More
Your brain has this really interesting system that is kind... Read More
The revolution is here. Weight Loss as we know it... Read More
As a weight loss coach I speak will people regularly... Read More
Whenever I hear someone say they just can't lose weight,... Read More
Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More
Thankfully, winter does not last forever! In the spring there... Read More
I was shocked. I started to cry...After the holidays, I... Read More
No doubt about it, when we feel stressed we want... Read More
1. Quit snacking in between meals. Do not fall for... Read More
Many of enjoy sitting down at Starbucks and enjoying a... Read More
Getting Kids Moving - Help for Overweight TeensA residential school... Read More
Weight Loss tipsAll throughout my childhood and teenage years I... Read More
I am not a diet and fitness guru or an... Read More
I am Dr Patrick Flanagan, and this is the latest... Read More
Are you committed to losing weight and keeping it off?... Read More
Many individuals these days, male or female, young or old,... Read More
Taming the See Food Eat Food ResponseWhat happens when you're... Read More
America is in a health care crisis. More than 60... Read More
For the past several years one subject has been coming... Read More
Looking to lose weight quickly? The good news is that... Read More
Obesity is a disease that is not caused by a... Read More
As our bodies move from Winter into Spring we can... Read More
Tip 1) DRINK A GLASS OF WATER AFTER EACH SNACKThis... Read More
Weight Loss |