Mindful Living/Mindful Eating
Most of us feel pressured by our lives. We rush from thing to thing, carried away by conflicting concerns. Our minds are constantly thinking of what was or will be, rarely are we present to the moment. No wonder many of us are not aware of hunger or fullness or what our food tastes like. We are not really awake.
Whether your issue is eating too much or too little, the challenge is the same. How do you check inside and find out what is going on? How do you wake up? It’s simple, but not easy. Being present to the moment is a skill that can be cultivated. Eating with awareness can bring benefits beyond measure to your life.
Pause, breathe and ask the question, “Am I hungry?” Some people claim they are never hungry. Others say they are hungry all the time. Take three deep belly breaths saying, “Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I relax. Dwelling in the present moment, I am awake.” Ask again, “Am I hungry? Will food satisfy my hunger? Do I choose to eat?” Decide whether to eat without judgment.
Breathe again and ask, “What do I want?” With a quiet relaxed mind that is empty of expectations, ask your body what it hungers for, and ask it to be specific. Do you want something sweet or salty, soft or crunchy, light or heavy? There are no forbidden foods. This is not the last time you will have the opportunity to eat this food. What will you enjoy, what will match your hunger, what will feel good later?
Prepare your food with the same care you would extend to a good friend. Turn the TV off, place the food on the table and again practice mindful attention. When you are relaxed, look at your food, smell it, sense your hunger for it and then eat it. Notice all the sensations…feel the food in your mouth, listen to the sounds of chewing, follow the food as it goes down your throat. Eat slowly and consciously. If other people are at the table, avoid discussing stressful subjects. Notice the feedback from your body as you are eating.
Sit quietly after you have eaten. Ask yourself, “Did the food satisfy me? Did I have enough? What feelings came up as I was eating? How am I feeling now?” Note what is going on without judgment or blame. You do not need to leave food on your plate, and you do not need to finish everything. The object is not to do this right. The object is simply to notice what is. When you are truly finished, release the eating experience and get on with the rest of your day.
Mindful eating is a powerful counter-balance to years of dieting and food obsessions. It allows you to wake up and be conscious to food, to yourself, to joy, to life.
“Only that day dawns to which we are awake.” Waldon Pond, Henry Thoreau
“Giving attention to eating is the most fundamental level of healing we can reach in our relationship to food. It is also the most rewarding…If you eat, you owe it to yourself to experience what you eat.” Nourishing Wisdom, Marc David