Conscious Eating

By Dr. Michael Quartararo

How many times have you caught yourself eating something that you knew was extremely bad for you?  You know, that candy bar or the trip to the local fast food joint.  After you throw that oversized burger down your gullet you realize, “oh my goodness what have I done?”  We can even take this a step further.  How about the amount of processed foods we ingest?  The over consumption of sugar and salt.  The lack of raw, organic, local and whole foods in our diets.  Not having enough pure, natural water every day.  The list can go on and on.  This phenomenon is called mindless eating.  This eating practice plagues are country and is a major factor in the obesity of our children.  We are so far removed from what our bodies genetically need each day that we mindlessly feed ourselves and our families.  If we just stopped for a moment and thought about what we were going to eat before we put it on our plates we would all choose better foods and feel better for it.
One of the benefits of conscious eating may surprise you.  Because conscious eating allows you to enjoy and savor your food, and your food is typically more nutrient dense, a side effect is weight loss.  You will begin to eat smaller portions and eat slower as you enjoy your food more.  What a concept!  This concept is much easier than you may think.  And once you start practicing conscious eating, you won’t want to eat any other way.  Here are some tips for incorporating conscious eating into your life.
1.    Stop eating while engaging in other activities, for example watching TV.  According to Elizabeth Scott M.S. author of “Mindful Eating for Health”, adults that eat in front of the television tend to eat more and enjoy their food less.  Children who watch TV and eat are at a higher risk of obesity for the same reasons.
2.    Pay attention to the taste of your food.  Focus on the flavor, how long it lasts and how the food feels in your mouth.  Is it crunchy, smooth, creamy?  Enjoy it while you recognize all the flavors together.
3.     Manage your thoughts while you are eating.  It’s so easy to think about anything else when you are eating.  Quiet your mind and enjoy the task at hand, enjoying your meal.
4.    Recognize when you are full.  Sometimes we just eat to eat.  Our culture says we need to eat 3 times per day, every day.  Our bodies may have different requirements.  Pay attention to the signals your body is giving you.  When you do you will know when you are full and satisfied.  You won’t get bloated and lethargic after a meal.  You will feel energized and ready to go on with your day.
5.    Relax when its meal time.  It’s hard for your body to digest food properly when your shoulders are tense and your posture is poor.  Sit upright, drop your shoulders and relax, you are about to enjoy the best meal of your life.

After practicing conscious, mindful eating your choices in foods will improve and your overall health will flourish.  For more information on mindful eating visit www.about.com and our website www.aacfamilywellness.com.  Be well!