MINDFUL EATS
HABITS OF HEALTH
MIND Your Thoughts
MIND Your Body
MIND Your Life
MIND YOUR FOOD
A Brief History of Mindfulness Eating
Mindful eating is based on the Buddhist concept of Mindfulness; living in the present. More recently we are reminded by Yoda, when he says to Luke and Obiwan, "all his life has he looked away…to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. What he was doing".
Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening now, how we feel about it, how it affects our environment, and how we act about it.
Modern Mindfulness for Busy People
Mindful eating however doesn't have to feel like your in a mountain top Monk temple in Tibet. With modern Mindfulness we an simply have to follow some simple yet important steps to ensure optimized eating practices and avoid mindless eating.
MIND YOUR TIME
MindLESS Eating
Eating when you are emotional, anxiety, stressed, bored, upset.
Eating alone and in random places and times.
Eating while distracted.
Eating in a rush.
Not savouring your food.
Eating mainly foods that are emotionally comforting.
Ignoring cues like being overfull, bloating, heartburn, headaches.
Mindful Eating
Eating as an enjoyable fuel.
Eating for maximal nutrition.
Eating with others, BUT being aware of serving sizes.
Enjoying each bite
Taking many bites.
Just eating, when eating.
Eating when we need it.
Thinking where food comes from, and how it's prepared.
Keeping healthy foods in sight, and unhealthy out of home.
MIND YOUR BODY
COFFEE DRILL
SAVOUR THE TASTE, THE SMELLS, THE SIGHT, THE TOUCH, THE SOUNDS
A simple drill we can do to start to practice is the "Raisin Drill", but who wants a raisin when we can have a delicious coffee instead?!
1. Prep with focus. Pay attention to each step. Scoop the coffee without dropping a grind, add the water slowly, if using a french press plunger it slowly and 12 times. Notice how the smell starts to move through the room. Wait at least 3 more minutes after pumping.
2. Pour with focus. As you pour the coffee watch the cup fill slowly, not spilling a drop, don't just dump it in. Notice the steam, the smell, how high you fill the cup.
3. Use our 5 senses & imagination.
- Look into the cup, notice the colors, the oils on the top, any inconsistencies or particles in the coffee.
- Feel the warmth of the cup, where is it hotter, cooler? Are there inconsistencies in the cup? Small bumps, holes? Is the cup smooth? Bumpy?
- Bring the cup up to your nose, and take a deep inhale. Notice the deep odour, the warmth of the steam.
- Think about where it came from. Imagine the coffee tree fields of Brazil, Columbia, Vietnam, or Indonesia (read the label so you know the right country). Imagine the fields, the workers picking the coffee cherries, the cherries being pulped to the bean, the beans being dried then roasted, bagged, loaded, and delivered across the world and right into your cup.
- Take a sip. Notice the temperature, the flavors. Can you taste any of the flavor hints? The caramel, the flowers, the cocoa hints? Is it acidic? Sweet?
- Swirl the coffee around in your mouth, treat it as you would a wine. Feel the heat hitting the areas of your mouth. Swirl your tongue around the coffee, notice where the flavors hit.
- Notice as the coffee travels down your throat, can you feel the warmth? Can you feel it hit your stomach?
- As you enjoy your coffee, sit quietly and listen to the sounds of your environment. Can you hear birds? Far off traffic? The ticking of a clock? What can you hear?
- Simply ENJOY your coffee over the next 10 minutes.
MIND YOUR LIFE
Why Mindful Eating?
Diets almost never work.
85% of obese or overweight people return or exceed their lost weight within 3 years of losing it.
Chronic stress causes overeating.
Distraction causes over eating.
Mindless socialization can affect surplus calories.
Research on Mindful eating has shown excellent results in weight loss and weight maintenance.
Mindful eating can help avoid binging.
Mindful eating can help you stay aware of environmental cues that set you off, and help you prepare to deal with them.
Mindful eating will help you rediscover the joy of foods, flavors and friends.
Is it time to change your life from the inside out?
Are you ready? Then let's go!
If you're ready to truly change your life from the inside out, then it's time to set up your personal and private coaching call with me today. Let's design your new body, health and life together.
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