We really want to do a kind of talk on just the best way to kind of eat.
I know it seems kind of a little silly.
We all know how to eat.
We've eaten our whole lives.
But what I have found is that a lot of people kind of have a very unhealthy pattern in relationship to how they eat.
They eat very fast.
They eat mindlessly,
Where they're either talking and discussing things or watching something.
And we want to give you just kind of a run-through of the kind of mindful eating protocols that are suggested for people on kind of how to eat and enjoy a meal.
So the first thing is when you first sit down to eat.
I know some people,
Whether you come from a religious background or not,
Just this notion,
It's not grace necessarily,
But it's acknowledging where this food has come from.
That other people have worked to provide this food,
The bounty from nature.
So acknowledging that and just kind of giving gratitude that you have this food that you're about to eat and that's going to nourish you.
So even if you're really hungry and the meal comes,
Whether you're at a restaurant or you're sitting down at your home,
That you don't just go in right away and start eating fast and mindlessly.
Give a little bit of thanks for that food being there.
Then as you start to eat,
There's two things I really want to recommend here that I noticed people have problems with.
One is when people eat too fast is they're constantly holding their fork or spoon.
And what you tend to see,
Especially if people are eating when they're hungry and they're eating mindlessly,
Is they're almost eating the next bite before that previous bite is done.
So really try at every bite to put your spoon or your fork down and really taste it.
There's actually an old saying that says,
You know,
You want to almost like drink your food,
Take so many chews that it ends up being almost liquid in your mouth by the time you're done.
So really slow down the pace of your eating,
Really taste it.
Imagine if you were a food critic and you have to describe exactly what the taste of,
You know,
This bite of pasta or this sandwich or,
You know,
Whatever you're eating.
Imagine having to describe that to someone not eating it.
So put this fork or the spoon down between your bites,
Really chew into the taste of things.
Part of that also is going to be about when you're eating socially,
Which I highly recommend is do you talk?
Do you not talk?
So you don't want to force it because sometimes not talking at all could feel like a little stressful for people,
Right?
It feels a little forced.
What I would recommend though is keep the conversation light.
Don't have any type of discussion while eating that's going to get you stressed or anxious,
Or maybe you get a little angry because of an argument.
So try to be quiet and enjoy just the food because you're not taking it for granted.
But if you want to talk,
Just keep it light.
Stay away from anything that's going to get anyone agitated.
The final thing to really try to work on is this view of being satiated,
Understanding when your body has had enough,
Instead of when you're full,
Where it almost doesn't really even feel good anymore.
Now this is much more difficult and subtle,
But eating slow will help you.
So I would say when you're about two thirds to three quarters done,
You want to take a little bit of time.
The reason is,
Is because our mind is slower chewing into when we're full.
So it needs a little time to notice.
Are we,
Are we okay?
Are we done?
And just queuing into that notion of I'm okay,
I'm satiated,
I've had enough,
Rather than this feeling of I need to eat till I'm full.
So that's about eating to about 70 to 80 percent and that's enough.
And it's not a bad thing to leave over some food.
I know a lot of people got brought up that they had to finish everything on their plate,
But it's a much worse thing to stuff yourself and finish a plate even though you're full,
Rather than to just be,
No,
Acknowledge your body and your health and just eat till you're satisfied at 70 or 80 percent.
Thanks.
