Eating Less & Slowly

All of us know the importance of paying attention to when we eat, what we eat, and how much we eat. Yet, we often find ourselves scrolling through the phone, working on the laptop, or watching television, while stuffing food into our mouths even when there is no true hunger. The internal mechanism in our body guides our eating habits but distracted eating forces us to ignore those signals, and we end up over-eating.

➤You know the importance of eating right and enjoying every meal. Yet, how sacred is mealtime to you? Does your schedule permit mindful eating? Do you tend to indulge in binge eating, mindless eating or over-eating? Mealtime needs to be a sacred ritual, but today most of us eat mindlessly and in the middle of distractions. This takes away an awareness of our eating experience, our thoughts, or our feelings. It is also leading to over-eating.

➤Food consumed this way is harming us rather than nourishing us the way it should. Eating should not be out of addictions, pressures, temptations, or emotional needs. Let us practice mindful eating – listening to our body signals of when to eat and how much to eat. Once we pay attention to our hunger and fullness signals, it becomes easy to avoid overeating. Create your own healthy eating patterns and stick to them at all times. Remind yourself – I focus on every bite of food. I eat a healthy and balanced diet. I do not overeat.

➤Stick to eat the right quantity to neither be starved nor stuffed. When you listen to your body, you take care of how much food it needs. This is a huge step in ensuring health and well-being. Remind yourself – I don’t eat food for any reasons other than genuine hunger. I listen to my body – eat when I am hungry and stop the moment I am full.