B – Breathe and Belly Check for hunger and satiety before you eat
When you sit down to eat, take a few deep breaths as you begin to check in with your belly.
Ask yourself:
Are there sensations of physical hunger?
How hungry are you?
What are you hungry for?
Is there a particular type of food you’d like to have?
Listen to what your body is telling you and let it guide you to make choices around food.
A – Assess your Food
Have a look at your plate/snack and observe the features of your food.
What does it look like?
Notice the colors of the food.
Does it look appealing?
Is this the food you really want?
S – Slow Down
If you can slow down while you are eating you might find you can enjoy your food more fully. What does slowing down look like? You can chew slower, more thoughtfully. Pause between taking bites and just check in with the body. Observe what happens when you slow down.
I – Investigate your hunger throughout the meal
To be a mindful eater, it is important to be aware of your distractions and to keep bringing your attention back to eating, tasting, and assessing your hunger and satiety throughout the meal.
It is particularly useful to observe through out your meal to check back in with your belly.
C – Chew Your Food Thoroughly
Chewing your food thoroughly help you to slow down and helps your body to digest the nutrients from your food more efficiently. It also releases the flavors to the fullest!
S – Savor Your Food
Savoring your food means taking time to choose food you really like and food that would satisfy you right now. To truly savor your food, choose foods that honors your taste buds and your body.
Become fully present for the experience of eating and the pleasure that it can bring. Let all of your attention be on the complete range of sensations available in each bite and feel the joy. If you can’t savor it, why eat it?
Start to use mindful eating to change your relationship with food
If you are eating a food you think is a "bad" food, try savoring it! Instead of rushing and then noticing at a blink of an eye the food is gone...slowly eat it. Enjoy every bite! Try to connect to the full flavor the food has to offer and enjoy with pleasure and not a feeling of guilt.
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