Remember the last time you ate? What were you doing? Were you watching TV, surfing the web…maybe driving?
These days it can be difficult to just sit down and eat—no TV, no computers, no multi-tasking. It almost seems like a waste—just eating—but nothing could be farther from the truth. Try this: During your next meal or snack, eat mindfully:
• Pay attention to your food and the experience of eating. Use all your senses. Notice color and shapes. Breathe the aroma. Experience the texture. How does the food feel in your mouth, on your tongue? Savor its flavor. Take time to really enjoy.
• Be thankful for the food. Think about everything that had to happen before you got the food. It’s really amazing when you stop and think about it. Consider a peach, for example. Think of all the people involved—someone discovered peaches, others planted the tree, picked the peach, transported it and sold it. The ground needed the right nutrients and the tree needed the right amount of sun and rain.
Why do this? Why take the time? Because life is to be experienced and food should be savored—not gulped unconsciously.
You might discover that your favorite foods don’t really taste that good—maybe that burger is greasy and lacks texture and flavor. You’ll be more aware of your own satiety and will be able to stop eating before becoming uncomfortably full.
Mindful eating can help you maintain a healthy weight and lose excess weight. Beyond that, it can help bring balance and a sense of peace and joy into your life. Stop taking food for granted; take the time to really enjoy it.
For more information, visit The Center for Mindful Eating at www.tcme.org...but not while you’re eating!