food glorious food

i had a rest day on the program (which i didn't want - grumble grumble - i felt like going for a run!!) so consequently i am thinking about food (there is a link there somewhere). after reading about the Owl's mindfulness course it was quite coincidental that I came accross this article on Mindful Eating...

Can You Think Yourself Thin?
How mindful eating can help you enjoy food more — and eat less.

by Sara Eckel
lifetimetv.com

My fellow meditation students and I spent 15 — yes, a full 15 — minutes eating an apple in silence. After the initial crunchy sweetness, we noticed that the taste evolved. It became sour, then bitter, and finally astringent. Afterward, a classmate said she realized how mindlessly she usually ate her food. "But you know what's really amazing?" she asked. "After just that one apple, I'm full."

For all the energy Americans spend obsessing over food, we pay surprisingly little attention to very act of eating. "If you just go for the sweet taste, you don't get the full benefit of the apple, so your body is still craving," says Frank Jude Boccio, who conducted the seminar I attended and is the author of "Mindfulness Yoga." Here's how to reconnect with one of life's most essential pleasures, and, in the process, cut back on the out-of-control eating that results in waistline sabotage.

Get your flavor fix. Most people don't experience the range of an apple's — or any other food's — flavors, because we zone out after the initial hit. "You really get that rush after the first few bites, but after that you're just pigging out," says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, author of "The Origin Diet: How Eating Like Our Stone Age Ancestors Will Maximize Your Health." We reach for food because we have a particular craving, often for salt, sugar or fat. So just get the taste you desire and save the rest for another time.

Set the table in style. Even when you get take-out, you don't have to dine out of a Styrofoam shell. You'll enjoy that beef lo mein or barbecued chicken much more when you serve it up on a pretty china plate and sit at the table with a cloth napkin and place mat. "Our friends are amazed that we have a candle on the table at breakfast," says Boccio, who explains that honoring every meal with candles and flowers reminds him to slow down. Think of mealtimes as opportunities for elegant dining instead of simply chowing down.


Ditch the distractions. Two out of three Americans multitask while they eat at least some of the time, according to a recent study by the American Dietetic Association (ADA); usually they're watching TV. But diverting your attention is a surefire way to overeat, according to a study by University of Illinois marketing professor Brian Wansink. His research found that moviegoers ate up to 61% more popcorn when the container size was increased, even when they didn't like the taste of the popcorn. Bottom line? Avoid consuming anything while you watch television, surf the Web, read the paper or chat on the phone.

Take a moment for reflection. If you want to say grace, then do so. But this step isn't about following the precepts of any particular faith — it's about being aware of what's before you. You'll have a richer eating experience if you take a few deep breaths before you dive in, says Katy Kram, a Cleveland dietician who teaches mindful eating. You also won't inhale your food. Instead, you'll appreciate the sight and smell of what's on your table and feel thankful that you have this fabulous, healthful dish to nourish your body.

Choose quality over quantity. Serve smaller portions of higher-quality food and you'll have more reason to savor your bites, says Lila O'Rourke, a spokesperson for the ADA. Higher-grade meats, chocolate, coffee, fruits and veggies really do taste better, and their wonderful flavors and textures will encourage you to slow down and take more pleasure in the sensation. "I don't buy 50-cent chocolate bars," adds Boccio. "I buy one for $2.50, and it lasts for days."

Put your fork down. O'Rourke and Boccio both advise setting down your silverware a few times during each meal as a trigger to remember to fully appreciate food's the taste, smell and texture. "Again, nothing compares to that first taste," says Boccio. "By the third or fourth bite, it's no longer as intense. But if you're eating slowly and thoughtfully, there isn't as dramatic a drop."

Pause before seconds. When we wolf down food, our bodies don't have the chance to tell us we're full, says O'Rourke, noting that it takes 20 minutes for the "full" signal to get from your stomach to your brain. "If in 20 minutes you eat three plates of pasta or just one plate, you'll probably be equally full," she says. Obviously, having one plate will save on calories! However, if you take a break but still want more, then have it. Being mindful isn't about depriving yourself or turning eating into a serious, austere affair. On the contrary: It's about tossing out the fat-gram counter and reconnecting to the simple joy of food.