Most of us are very aware of what we eat, but have you ever stopped to think about how you eat? The way you eat can have a huge impact on your digestion and eating properly is something that should be practiced and perfected. Unfortunately, many of us gobble down our food in front of the TV or at our desk, or with our phone in one hand and a fork in the other. But it’s time to change those habits.
Putting these simple steps into practice is one of the most fundamental things you can do to improve and help your digestion. Once you start practising these little things, you will notice that eating mindfully makes such a difference.
Here are some of my top tips of how to eat:
Respect your food
Food is something we often take for granted, yet without it we wouldn’t be alive. Take time to respect and be grateful for the fact that you have food to eat. Respect your food by eating it on a plate (not out of an ice cream container while you stand next to the fridge).
Engage with what you’re doing
Before you dive right into your meal, stop, pause and engage with what is on your plate. Don’t just mindlessly shovel the food into your mouth. I love taking time to say grace before I eat because it really gets me into the right frame of mind before eating. Taking a couple depth breaths before you eat is also advised.
Immerse all your senses
Ever heard the saying we eat with our eyes? Well it’s actually pretty true. Take the time to smell and admire your food so that your stomach can start preparing the gastric juices needed to break it all down.
CHEW!
I’ve said this once, and I’ll say it again! Chewing your food at least 20 times per mouthful is SO important. What I find helps is to put my fork down in between bites.
Stop eating when you’re full
One thing we are all guilty of is eating way too much food, even though we aren’t hungry anymore. By eating slowly, chewing properly and putting your fork down between bites, you’ll notice how quickly you actually get full. This is what makes eating mindfully so beautiful!
Start practicing these tips this week and let me know how they work for you!
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