Mindful Eating

My friend Juliet Hewitt, who also happens to be a co-worker and my Yoga Teacher, wrote this article and I wanted to share it with you:

Summer is almost here. As you cruise the supermarket checkout line, magazine headlines promoting new weight loss strategies all vie for your attention. Each one promising a new secret method to help you lose weight and get into your bathing suit: “Ten Steps to Slim Thighs in Ten Days!” “Celebrity Workouts – Learn the Exercise Secrets of the Top Stars”.

If you are like me, you have fallen victim to their siren song and purchased one of these magazines. After reading the articles, you are disappointed. There is no magic diet, pill, or exercise program. Eating good food and exercising is what really works, but that doesn’t sell magazines. I am not going to give you tips on exercise or diet today. There are plenty of places to find this information if you need it. What I am going to tell is a tip that maybe you haven’t considered before: practice conscious eating. Become an astute watcher of your eating habits. In doing so, learn to slow down and contemplate what you are eating before and while you are eating it.

What you eat and when you eat should be a thoughtful decision. Learn to make eating a “conscious” rather than “unconscious” choice. As you observe your hunger rhythms, remember that when you experience a hunger pang you don’t have to eat immediately. If you are tied to a family mealtime and you are hungry before dinner, teach yourself to wait until dinner is served to eat. When you do choose to eat, enjoy it. Taste your food and don’t feel guilty about eating a treat. You made a conscious decision to eat it! There is no joy in eating a dessert if you are going to feel guilty about it. If you know you will feel guilty about it, make a conscious decision not to eat it. Lastly, if you do eat something without mindfulness, forgive yourself immediately. Mindfulness takes practice. Like any other skill, it takes effort to cultivate.

Practicing mindfullness teaches you to work with your body, rather than against it. Eat what you truly enjoy and truly enjoy what you eat!

Thanks, Juliet, for such a great article!

Powered by ScribeFire.