Republic of Ireland
Mindfulness is the practice of becoming more aware of the present moment – noticing your breathing, the sensations in your body. It’s all about being in the “now”. If you including conventional food this Christmas, on Lite, on FAST 5:2 or in management…
Mindfulness In 6 Steps
- Before you eat, check if you’re physically hungry. Use a hunger gauge – image on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is hungry and 10 is full. Focus on how you are really feeling. If you’re gauge is at between 4-8 then you probably aren’t hungry so in that case, ask youself what are you hungry for – company, stimulation?
- Don’t go to a Christmas party physically hungry – this can often lead to overeating especially when most parties have bowls of your favorite “nibbles” in your face as soon as you arrive. Have a healthy snack, a lite meal or a foodpack beforehand.
- Eat slowly and chew your food well. Take your time, enjoy your food, taste it – remember to stop and pause, you’re not rushing to catch a train! It takes 15-20 mins for your brain to register that you’ve physically had enough. Think about all the times you’ve rushed your food, had seconds and then felt very uncomfortable!
- If you’re out for dinner and want to eat more than one course, restrict yourself to only a small portion of each. The key to success is moderation. Refer back to your hunger gauge.
- Don’t eat standing up, talking on the phone, playing Candy Crush or watching TV – sit down at a table and give your food your full attention – trust me, you’ll enjoy it more!
- Watch your portion size! Studies show that when people use smaller plates they eat around 25% less without even noticing. A 10″ plate is perfect – ditch those massive trendy plates they make you eat more!
