Enjoy Your Food
by Bronwen de Klerk

How often don’t we eat in a rush? We grab a piece of toast as we’re running out the door to work, eat a toasted sandwich over our keyboard at lunch, then shovel down our dinner in a trance as we watch TV. Do you remember how any of this food tasted? Do you even remember what you ate?

Would you believe me if I told you that you could lose weight just by focusing more on your food when you eat? You can. Your digestive system works optimally when you focus on your meals when you eat them. You are also more likely to chew your food properly when you do this. I’m sure you’ve heard this many times: digestion starts in the mouth. Therefore, the better you chew your food, the better you digestion will be.

I’d like you to try the following at your next meal:

1. Switch off the TV (or stop reading or stop working on your computer) and sit at a table with your plate of food.
2. Before you even lift an eating utensil, breathe in the aroma of your food. How does it smell?
3. When you take your first mouthful, be conscious of the sensations in your mouth. What does the food feel like? What does it taste like as it first touches your tongue?
4. Now begin to chew. What does the food taste like as you begin to chew it?
5. Enjoy the sensations as you chew, and don’t swallow the food until it is fully chewed.
6. Repeat this with each following mouthful.

Be fully present for the whole meal. You will find that you will be more conscious of when you are starting to get full. When you start to feel full, stop eating. If you have enjoyed each mouthful, you shouldn’t have a problem doing this. In fact, you will know when you are starting to get full when your food stops tasting as good as it did in the beginning. You should also take 5-10 minutes after eating to just relax – don’t rush back to work. Allow your food to settle.

If you make a promise to yourself to do this at each meal, you will be amazed at the results. You will start to feel less bloated after meals and you will naturally start to eat less. Give it a try and see how you feel.