The habit of eating in between, on the go, is one of the main causes of gaining excess weight. Do you want to lose weight? Master the principles of mindful eating.
What Is Mindful Eating
Pick an apple. Run your fingers over it, feeling the roughness of its skin. Toss it up, feeling a pleasant heaviness in your palm. Breathe in the aroma, imagine what colors you would paint it. As you bite, listen to the crunch, appreciate the taste and texture. Chew slowly, trying to get the most out of each bite not playing at the Play Amo casino Canada or watching Netflix at the same time. This is mindful eating. Ideally, you should always eat in this manner – thoughtfully, with pleasure. Of course, such an approach may seem strange to someone and cause a reasonable question – is it even normal to fixate on food like this? We refer such people to the experience of Buddhist monks. They have been meditating on food for hundreds of years, for them it is a proven way to expand consciousness. A typical task for novices is to concentrate for 10-20 minutes on three raisins, reflect on them, taste them. In general, the origins of mindful eating should be sought precisely in the Buddhist concept of mindfulness, which implies a focus on the present moment. Mindfulness techniques are practiced in order to stop worrying and finally start living. Studies show that even basic dishwashing, if done consciously, reduces anxiety. Conscious eating has also been proven to help with eating disorders and weight loss.
Turn on Your Brain to Lose Weight
When we eat, the stomach and brain exchange signals. It takes about 20 minutes for a person to realize – I’m full. But people often eat too fast – and inevitably overeat. Mindful eating helps to focus on the process and stop in time. Those who are overweight know how important it is to tell yourself “stop” in time. The Scientific Research Institute of Oregon (USA) conducted 6 weeks of seminars on mindful eating, during which the participants lost an average of 4 kg. Scientists from the University of California have found out that mindful eating helps reduce the level of the stress hormone cortisol in blood, which is one of the main culprits of abdominal obesity.
Harvard Medical School formulated simple rules for beginners. Switch to conscious eating gradually – start with one meal a week. Allocate at least 20 minutes to a meal. Make it nice and tasty. Before you start, ask yourself – am I really hungry? If you’re used to eating fast, hold back on the pressure. For example, eat with chopsticks and not with your leading hand. Mindful eating implies that we not only taste what the product tastes like, but also become aware of its color, shape, smell, and texture. That is, we use all of the senses, collecting a “complex” picture. And we are not distracted by social networks, email, another series, or a phone conversation.
Conscious Eating vs. Dieting
It’s important to understand that conscious eating is not a diet. Many experts even call it an antidote to diets, which don’t really help you lose or keep the weight off. It is a technique that helps you better understand yourself, your body, your needs. Encouraging more often to ask the question – why am I even eating this now? Am I hungry – or am I just bored, anxious or lonely?
Mindful eating is practiced by such giants as Google and Harvard. Some Buddhist monasteries hold “open days” with “mindful” lunches. One can spend an hour at the table in silence, broken only by the clinking of forks on plates, among similarly tranquil people, offering prayers of gratitude and breathing quietly. And for many, conscious eating becomes more than just a gastronomic and “weight loss” practice. It shows us that we are in such a hurry to get everything done that we are living life “unconsciously.” And that it’s time to stop and think about what’s important.
