Mindful Eating

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:41 am

Another good article from Zen Habits.

Also, a good quote from a different article at the same site:

Eat simple food

Gandhi never had a problem with being overweight. He followed a strict vegetarian diet and frequently cooked his own simple food, which was locally produced.

He ate this simple food from a small bowl, a reminder to eat moderately, and at the same time he ate mindfully, often accompanied by prayers.
So eat simply and moderately

Elspeth · Post by **Elspeth** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:09 pm

Thanks for the links. I have been trying to be mindful of my food especially when I am eating alone. When I am eating a meal with others, it is easy to slow down and enjoy the whole experience: food, drink, and conversation. When I am eating by myself, however, I tend to bolt my food while eating in front of the computer.

To slow myself down when I eat alone, sometimes I close my eyes while I am chewing. That way I can really focus on the taste of my food without being distracted by something I see.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:46 pm

I became attached years ago to chewing my meal food until it is very liquid-y, not just small enough to swallow. (Except when I binged.) The habit has served me well with my meals on No S.

For one thing, carbohydrates begin to be digested in the saliva in the mouth. Also, just savoring the food makes me think I've eaten more, I swear. Really, it's crazy how much we say we love food, but race through the experience of it.

RJLupin · Post by **RJLupin** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:08 pm

I cut my food in to very small pieces and take the time to chew each one. The taste is the same, of course, but it feels like I have eaten much more than I have. It also takes longer, and encourages you to slow down instead of wolfing down massive bited.

blueangel · Post by **blueangel** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:07 am

Thank you for the links. I am trying to eat mindfully as well. I take small bites, chew thoroughly and try to make the meal last 30 minutes.

Over43 · Post by **Over43** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 6:00 am

Although I am not Zen, one of my favorite books is "Being Peace" by Thich Nhat Hahn of Vietnam. In the book he reinds the reader to always eat mindfully. I am trying.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:28 pm

I remember once reading of Thich Nhat Hahn saying, "Do you eat like a dog or a person?" Boy, that one has slowed me down on many an occasion.

I returned last Sunday from a 5-day Zen intensive. I'm not supposed to be noticing, but there were a fair number of people who wolfed their food. I especially noticed one young woman whose spoon-to-mouth action was like watching a conveyor belt. However, in the whole place, only two persons were what you might call fat with the big tummy and all. The guy kept going back to add more to his bowl before he had even finished what he had and ate fast, although he would sometimes close his eyes as he chewed. I think the woman felt a little self-conscious, as many do in a big group like that, but maybe she was also just paying more attention. But, some skinny people ate fast, too. I think the difference is they had always been skinny. I've noticed skinny people hate being really full so they stop when they know they're getting full no matter how fast they eat, except for the rare occasion. I also noticed that some very small women took some hefty portions. It's a given at such an event that you don't take food and then not finish it, so they must have known that's what they needed to be satisfied. Most of them took their time.