Eating is a great way to satisfy our hunger.
Eating has become a large degree mindless, guilt-inducing and consuming because of the fast paced, diet-obsessed world we live in.
Many people are helped by a gentle and simple way of resolving a troubled love-hate relationship with food. We notice our food, we enjoy it, and we understand the effects of food on our bodies.
What will eating be able to do?
You will be able to recognise your non-hunger triggers for eating as you begin to practice eating with intention.
Your body needs to be prepared for digestion. By being more conscious as you eat, you will be able to taste your food and send signals to your brain to start working.
You will be able to fulfill your needs in more effective ways. This is of greatest benefit when we feel more inclined to head to the snack cupboard rather than go for a walk.
You can choose your food for sustenance. As you begin to listen to your body, you will be able to consciously choose to feed yourself healthy, energising foods.
The result is that you will feel less guilty about food, as there is less of an internal battle going on and you can now eat with pleasure.
Is I hungry?
When we can ask ourselves, we feel more in control. Is I hungry? It is possible to react more positively towards food if you are able to take a break from your actions.
Take a few moments to think.
Why do I eat?
What is driving my eating habits at any given time?
Our bodies need food and fuel to function.
The Body Scan is a great way of connecting with your body. It is easy to forget that our bodies work with our minds as a whole, as we tend to dislocate our own bodies with what we really want. As we begin to connect with our bodies, we become more aware, accepting and grateful for how they are working for us and how we can look after them more effectively.
There are some eating moments in life.
Awareness, not judgement, is the basis of mindful eating.
When we are mindful we are less self-critical of our giving in or berating ourselves for the lack of strength of will. We are more able to understand why it was or what the triggers were for us to eat; what we did rather than choosing a healthier alternative without judgement or pressurizing ourselves to eat perfectly.
HALT is a useful acronym to use for looking at how we are feeling.
Am I hungry?
Am I angry?
L. Is it lonely?
Am I tired?
I would recommend writing it on a post, on the fridge door or at your desk as a reminder that food may not always be the answer to how you are feeling.
Taking a walk outside in the fresh air is an alternative.
Listening to your body.
Dieting is mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting. It can be expensive and time consuming.
Why don't we trust that we can learn to rebuild and restore our own eating habits and become experts on meeting our eating needs for our wonderful bodies?
It is possible to meet your true needs more effectively by becoming more aware. Who knows your body better? How good would it be if you could reestablish eating patterns that were based on physical hunger, rather than your emotions and eating thought processes?
This is the first step.
Taking back control of your life.
Food can be enjoyable, but it can also be a source of guilt and deprivation. Learning to respond to hunger with more care helps us see if we have been trying to satisfy other needs by eating.
It is possible to be more aware and learn to meet those needs in positive and constructive ways so food can serve its proper function.
This fun eating exercise can be done with a partner, children or family at a meal once a week or month. The eating experiment helps us connect with our senses as we prepare and eat our food.
You will begin to trust your ability to take charge of other areas of your life as you learn to manage your eating by listening to your instincts. You will feel more motivated to make certain eating and activity choices when you are in charge because you really want to.
You will discover new tools and energy for a more balanced and vibrant life when you free yourself from your focus on food and weight.
Contact:
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References:
1. Wellbeing
2. Body Scan
4. Meditating
6. Mindfulness Eating Exercise
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