Mindful Eating

Mindful Eating involves really being present while you are eating. It involves using all your senses to appreciate and enjoy your food. I know I am not the only one that is always crunched for time and in a rush to grab something and eat on the go. I have gotten in a habit of eating really fast because I know there are so many other things I need to do.

Taking care of ourselves should be our first priority in our lives. If we don't take care of ourselves, we won't be able to help those around us, we won't be able to spend as much time with our families and loved ones, and our quality of life will decrease if we aren't doing the necessary things to keep our bodies healthy and strong. Yet it is so easy to put ourselves last on our list of things to take care of.

Next time you are getting hungry and go to grab something to eat, think about it for just a minute. Consider what you need to be eating to nourish your body. [Something I am working on is eating a fruit or vegetable with every meal to help me get in the habit of reaching for nutritious food more.] Recognize if you are hungry or thirsty-sometimes those feel similar to us. Maybe think about what your emotions are.

When you have something to eat, sit down to eat it and try to eliminate any distractions that you can, and just enjoy the moment and the flavor of each bite. Mindful eating helps us realize what we are eating and enhances our experience with eating. After all, we have to eat to live, so we might as well make it enjoyable! 

Also for anyone interested**This past week I discovered a great podcast that I am loving and wanted to recommend it to all of you- nutritionmatterspodcast.com. You can find it on iTunes! Hope you enjoy it as much as I am!