Five Mindful Eating Tips
Mindful eating is consciously putting your full attention on the act of eating. Eating consciously maximizes pleasure, improves digestion, honors our bodies, and keeps us from overeating so we can maintain our ideal weight.
Following are five tips to help you eat in a more mindful way:
Eat in a settled environment. Eating is a celebration of life. Take the time to make your inner and outer environment settled and calm. Take a few calming breaths. Light a candle. Begin your meal with gratitude.
Eat only when you are hungry and stop eating when you are satisfied. Become aware of your body and use your appetite as a gage. On a scale of 1 to 10, let one be famished and 10 be completely full. Eat only when your appetite drops to a 2 or 3, and stop eating when you reach a 6 or 7.
Avoid activities that take your attention away from the act of eating. Social Media, TV, reading the newspaper, and even conversation can result in overeating which overloads your system and results in a level of toxicity in your body.
When eating, give your full attention to all five senses. Mindful eating is enjoyable because it uses all five senses. When you eat take the time to look at your food and notice its colors, shaped and textures. Smell the wonderful aromas, savor the tastes and textures of each morsel. Listen to the sounds of your chewing. Feel the sensations in your body.
Eat at a comfortable pace and take a few minutes after eating to sit quietly. Our lives are busy and it’s easy to gobble food down and rush off to your next activity. Support your digestive health by slowing down and enjoying your meal.
