I went to my monthly support group and we discussed the topic of "Mindful Eating". She did a little exercise with us. We all got a cup of trail mix. We were asked to pick just one piece of food from the trail mix. Hold it in your hand, feel the texture, put it up to your ear (thought she was crazy at this point), put it to you lips, now put it in your mouth. Finally eat it. Then we were asked what did you pick and why. I had never really thought about this before. It was amazing at how we just eat food and never really think about it and how it really tastes or why we picked that item to begin with. Then we were asked to take another piece and do the same thing. Then we were asked did you take the same thing or something different and why? I choice a banana chip to begin with...why because it was the largest piece of food in the cup and I thought it would have the most flavor. Didn't taste good at all. Then I picked a cran-raisin. It had a burst of flavor...very good. The funny thing is the smallest thing in the cup taste the best!
Here is one the handouts she gave us. You can also go to the website:
http://www.tcme.org
Principles of Mindfulness:
Mindfulness is deliberately paying attention, non-judgmentally.
Mindfulness encompasses both internal processes and external environments.
Mindfulness is being aware of what is present for you mentally, emotionally and physically in each moment.
• With practice, mindfulness cultivates the possibility of freeing yourself of reactive, habitual patterns of thinking, feeling and acting.
Mindfulness promotes balance, choice, wisdom and acceptance of what is.
Mindful Eating is:
Allowing yourself to become aware of the positive and nurturing opportunities that are available through food preparation and consumption by respecting your own inner wisdom.
Choosing to eat food that is both pleasing to you and nourishing to
your body by using all your senses to explore, savor and taste.
• Acknowledging responses to food (likes, neutral or dislikes) without
judgment.
Learning to be aware of physical hunger and satiety cues to guide your
decision to begin eating and to stop eating.
Someone Who Eats Mindfully:
Acknowledges that there is no right or wrong way to eat but varying degrees of awareness surrounding the experience of food.
Accepts that his/her eating experiences are unique.
Is an individual who by choice, directs his/her awareness to all aspects of
food and eating on a moment-by-moment basis.
Is an individual who looks at the immediate choices and direct experiences
associated with food and eating: not to the distant health outcome of that
choice.
Is aware of and reflects on the effects caused by unmindful eating.
Experiences insight about how he/she can act to achieve specific health goals as he/she becomes more attuned to the direct experience of eating and feelings of health.
Becomes aware of the interconnection of earth, living beings, and cultural practices and the impact of his/her food choices has on those systems.
Mindful Eating
Finally starting my journey to weight loss
- 3 year surgery anniversary (Jan 09)
It saves me lots of $$'s on psychiatrist bills. LOL - well maybe not, I may still be crazy. But it is nice to read such wonderful posts.
Debbie
Linear Mode
