aware & non-reactive…
Mindful Eating: Slowing It Down
by meditative - April 3rd, 2016.Filed under: Attending Meditation Exercises, Insights for Mindful Intelligence.
Simple as it may sound, we are sometimes not very mindful of the way we eat; what we eat; and how much we eat. Slowing it down is a great way to transform the way we relate to our food, and the way we consume our food. Here are some mindful tips to help slow down your eating by creating ‘pause’. You may eat less and appreciate more the food that sustains your body and life.
• Take pause before beginning the meal looking at each item of food, and simply taking it in with the eyes. Notice colors, textures, shapes, arrangement of the plate or bowl. With the nose, take in the fragrance of your food while deeply inhaling through your nostrils. Sense the nourishment just in the smell of your food.
• Take a moment to give thanks for your food. Mentally thank all the people, animals, plants, environment, etc., that made this food possible for you. Be aware of their gifts as you eat. Our existence is so very interdependent.
• When ready to eat, take small bites of your food- being mindful not to overload your fork or spoon. Once in the mouth, chew slowly from one side to the next before swallowing, and just notice the food’s texture and the in-mouth (retro-nasal) aromas (i.e. flavors)… it is this sensory experience that stimulates the perception of ‘satiation’.
• In between bites of food, be mindful by setting your fork or spoon down on the table. This act will help prevent the “shovel syndrome”– and especially if you add a mindful breathe cycle (i.e. long inhalation and exhalation) from one bite of food to the next. Taking a sip of water between bites of food also slows eating down, as well as cleanses the palate for the next morsel of food.
• If you notice that you are eating without really tasting your food, then stop and pause to simply look at your food again.