A Mindful Approach to Fat Loss

                   I have been a foodie and, predominately, vegetarian since I was a child. Remember in the opening scenes of Ratatouille where he is explaining how the combination of flavors taste and the fire works are going off around him? That is what eating ANYTHING is like for me. Why? Mindful eating my friends.

                    You see, as a child I was always being told to eat quicker. I remember thinking, "but I don't want to, I like how this tastes," so I was always the last to finish. I was fine with this. I was often sick with strep or an ear infection as a child, I was also very active and just craved fruits and vegetables. My body hardly ever craved meat and when it did, after ingesting any kind of meat outside of certain pork products it would come right back up. But, as I got older, I began forcing myself to suffer through the pain of vomiting every time. I was always sick, I didn't listen to my body anymore and hardly ate anything that was not processed and packed full of chemicals and empty calories. When I got really sick at 23, all that changed, and then again at 26. I began listening to my body and started mindful eating, or meditative eating.

                    Okay, I know what you're thinking. "I'm not going to sit in silence with my food.... alone.... like a freak." You don't have to, mindful eating is much more than that. Not to mention some of the wonderful benefits that come with it. Let's explore these benefits, starting with mindful eating!

THE BASICS OF MINDFUL EATING:

1. Begin by sitting at a clean, clear table with only a glass of water and a plate of your favorite meal. First, notice the texture with your fingers if you are eating something without utensils. Or notice the smell and temperature. Take a few deep breaths in and back out as you observe these components of your meal.
2. "Check-in", and ask yourself a question or two. "What are my desires at the moment?" "Am I hungry or bored?" No matter the question breathe on it for a few deep breaths. Does it intensify or shift to something else? This can help you figure out what triggers your hunger pangs.
3. Connect your mind and your meal; take a moment to think of the origins of the ingredients. The work and hands that went into nourishing and growing these foods. Think of the families you have helped support because you purchased these ingredients. Take a few deep breaths on this.
4. Connect your soul and your meal; think of the conditions that must be met to grow and nourish the ingredients used in your meal. The four elements and their role in helping to create them, right down to the chemistry and genetics of each piece of food. Take a few deep breaths on this.
5. Smile! You may take a bite now! But a small to moderate bite. Notice the flavors. Do they compliment one another or clash with one another? How does the texture feel as you chew? What about the temperature? Chew at least 25 times before swallowing your bite.
6. Swallow completely before taking another bite and allow yourself about 20-40 seconds. Let the taste linger. Does it linger long or disappear quickly? Did it change with the last portion of your bite swallowed? Take a few deep breaths on this.

Mindful eating is not just about staring at your food like a crazy person. It is about taking a moment to APPRECIATE your meal, the ingredients and everything that went into making it.

Okay you may have noticed I stated to chew a minimum of 25 times. Yes, that's quite a bit, but there are massive benefits to doing so!

• Chewing stimulates your salivary glands to produce more saliva. This helps to moisten your food.
  
• Saliva also contains enzymes that help break down carbohydrates and fats starting in the mouth with chewing.
• Chewing thoroughly prevents gas and bloating. Smaller bites and chewing with your mouth closed helps speed up the digestion process. Many times when taking bigger bites, chewing is tossed aside, air is sucked in as you chew and as you swallow along with undigested sugars from undigested lactose. Bloating, discomfort, and gas occurs generally for an hour or two after eating this way.
• Increase the surface area of your food. "What?" you ask, "Surface area?" Yes, portion size matters because we are meant to chew our food more.
  
• Taking smaller bites makes the job easier for digestive enzymes and stomach acid.
  
• Taking smaller bites increases surface area to allow for more nutrients from your food to be absorbed. Since digestion and break down start in the mouth, you are already half way there!
• Healthy fat/weight loss. Chewing helps reduce the amount of ghrelin your body produces and secretes. The more time allowed for food to digest, the better the brain and stomach communicate to tell you when you're full and satiated.
  
• Studies have shown that subjects who chewed food 40 times as opposed to 15 times before swallowing on average consumed 12% less food.
• More chewing= healthier food choices. Nobody wants to chew something that loses flavor and tastes like gum that's falling apart when you chew too long. Chewing organic, natural, and raw foods gives more flavor than processed, pre-packaged, and chemical filled foods. Your body will start to crave them and your taste buds will find food more potent with flavor.
• Trigger your digestive system to kick into gear! Chewing starts the rest of your digestive system to follow suit, and so does, smelling! Smelling your food first also intensifies your perception of the flavor. Your stomach begins to produce hydrochloric acid, then your pancreas produces digestive enzymes, and the rest is history.
• Improve your dental hygiene with chewing more. Since chewing makes you salivate more your teeth get a cleaning while you eat. Saliva contains antibodies that rid the mouth of plaque and pathogens before they find a place to nest inside of your mouth.
• Strengthen your immune system. Breaking down food more, and to a more absorbable state, ensures that you are getting more nutrients. This makes it easier for your body to identify intruders and take them out!

As you can see, there are MANY benefits to mindful/meditative eating. Next time you sit down to your favorite meal, take some time in the first few bites at least, to taste the difference with these techniques and tips.