Mindful Eating – Exercise

Mindful Eating – Exercise 

Food can be a powerful sensual experience that engages all our senses. No wonder we are seduced by the sight, smell, taste, and touch of it. Unfortunately, often we eat too fast, hardly noticing the taste and the smell of the food. While eating we tend to listen to the radio, browse the internet or play with our phone. Most of us do not pay much attention to how fast we eat. Engaging in mindful eating meditation practices on a regular basis can help us discover a far more satisfying relationship to food and eating than we ever imagined or experienced before.

Benefits of mindful eating:

• learn to make choices in beginning or ending a meal based on awareness of hunger and satiety cues;

• learn to identify personal triggers for mindless eating, such as emotions, social pressures, or certain foods;

• value quality over quantity of what you’re eating;

• appreciate the sensual, as well as the nourishing, capacity of food;

• feel deep gratitude that may come from appreciating and experiencing food

This exercise is about cultivating awareness and beginning to learn to focus on the here-and-now. 

It is about being in the present moment and not missing out on it.

Pick up a piece of food and hold it in the palm of your hand. Look at it. Examine it.

What does it look like?

What color is it?

How would you describe the texture?

Now, feel it in the palm of your hand.

What does it feel like against your skin?

Pick it up with your other hand.

What does it feel like in your fingers?

Is it slimy? Rough? Smooth? Soft? Hard? Squeeze it softly.

What do you feel?

Smell it.

Describe how it smells. Put it in your mouth, but do not eat it.

What does it feel like on your tongue?

What does the texture feel like now?

How does it taste?

How does the taste compare to the way it smelled?

Move it around in your mouth and notice every aspect of it.

Bite it and think about what you taste.

Now how does it feel in your mouth?

Finish chewing and eat it.

How did it taste?

Stay in the moment and enjoying eating. Be aware of using all your senses to fully appreciate the present moment. Slow down and take your time to notice the pleasure of eating.

The benefits of mindful eating are not restricted to physical and emotional health improvements; they can also impact on your entire life, through a better sense of balance and well-being.

Reference:

http://www.mindfulnessinfo.com/exercise-2-the-raisin/
http://www.tcme.org/

Therapy Room 2013