How many times do you sit down, devour a meal, and then start looking for something else to eat right afterwards? This day and age we are often rushing through meals and trying to accomplish 10 other things while we eat. We have become “human doings”, instead of “human beings”. When we eat while frantically moving about, we are not experiencing the meal. As a result, we are often left feeling dissatisfied and wanting more.
I’m here to tell you that eating in a mindful manner will help to eliminate this problem by allowing you to slow down and appreciate the act of eating. Mindful eating means taking the time to honor yourself by choosing high quality foods, preparing them with care, and eating slowly while using your five senses to fully enjoy the meal. It means allocating quiet time to prepare and enjoy eating your meal without racing through it or while multitasking.
Picture yourself at work on lunch break. Move away from the computer and the ten other things that may call to you while you eat. Think of this type of eating as a meditation. It means choosing to be present with your food and the way in which you eat. Eat slow enough to chew each bite and experience the tastes of what you are eating. Put the utensil down in between bites and breathe. If you normally take 5 minutes to eat your lunch, try to stretch it to 10, and so forth.
I highly recommend not eating in the car, wolfing down a snack while switching the laundry, or eating in the middle of a heated debate with your spouse. Remember, mindful eating requires that you give your full attention to the foods that make you feel full.
Eating Mindfully will help you to:
- Properly digest your food
- Sense intuitively when you are full
- Develop more satisfaction with each meal
- See food as a way to nourish your body
- Discover new tastes and textures
- Develop a healthy relationship with food
- Gain healthy habits that make you feel alive