Experiment...the result of eating my lunch mindfully today.
Took my lunch right to the table and cleared away any reading material. It was just me, a plate of food, my fork and knife.
First thing I felt was a sense of anxiety. No distractions. Only thing to look at was my plate. I took a deep breath. Cut up my slices of turkey....picked up a forkful and put it into my mouth. Said to myself "this forkful is rather large". Now see, normally, this would be my forkful portion size... but if I'm mindlessly eating, do I perhaps just want to make this a quick process? And by cutting my food into big mouthful portions, can I get eating over with faster? So what was now in my mouth was a bit more than felt comfortable. I noticed I was chewing a LOT...more than usual. Do I often swallow food whole without chewing? I'm thinking the answer is "YES".
I cut my next piece of turkey into a smaller portion. Felt more comfortable in my mouth. Chewed it about 20 times. WIthout much to do but focus on eating....I started counting how many times I was chewing. I looked out the window...looked around my kitchen. I sort of felt myself feeling a bit lost....aimlessly wanting something else to do while I ate. The feeling was clearly uncomfortable.
Looked at the carrots on my plate....Decided after I tasted them that they needed more salt. Perhaps if I were mindlessly eating, the salt would have gone unnoticed. Got up, got some sea salt...and then decided ghee might be nice on those carrots. Went back and got ghee...and then YUM, those carrots were super delicious. Sweet, warm, carrot-y, salty, ghee-y and yummy. I said to myself "really good carrots....I didn't know how much I liked carrots"
Next onto the broccoli sitting on my plate....didn't look all that appealing. Decided to get up, throw it into a frying pan, add some EVOO and fresh garlic and saute it a bit. Put it back on my plate. Now the aroma of garlic permeated the room. Yes, I wanted and needed for my broccoli to taste really good. And it did. Normally I was eating broccoli steamed...maybe drizzling a little EVOO on top....for its health benefits...but today, each bite tasted so different...so much more appealing.
Back to the turkey, then the carrots and to the broccoli, back and forth..chewing slowly...reminding myself how much I love the taste of ghee on everything...By now, my food experience was winding down. Took about 14 minutes from start to finish. Probably could have slowed it down a bit... I did feel the urge to do something other than eat.
The entire experience was eye opening. I walked away from eating and grabbed two dark chocolate almonds for dessert....and wondered if I should have eaten those almonds at the table and not on the way out the kitchen....because I wondered what the experience might have been like had I savored the end of my meal as well. I wanted to eat more chocolate covered almonds because I can't say that I remembered eating them...or telling myself I was enjoying them WHEN I was eating them.
Interesting....but this experience did come with some anxiety.....I'm trying to process what that was about... Why would anyone feel anxious if doing nothing but eating? Did this go back to childhood? I do remember not being a great eater....(perhaps my mother wasn't the world's greatest cook) or perhaps she tried to make me eat food I didn't like or want to eat....and perhaps leaving the dinner table was a way to escape that feeling of stress.
Dunno...just think everyone should try this once....and if you do, please share what it felt like.
I will try and have lunch mindfully. Not sure I can do this every meal....but it was certainly an experience I will remember
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything.....they know how to make the best of everything!"
Chloe, those are great points and I agree with them all totally. Except the fact that you can achieve that same focus, not in the American traditional dining room and table. That's why I've decided to turn the TV off. Because I was more focused on my food that way. But I far prefer being in a more lounged position than sitting upright in a chair that makes my rear end hurt after 3 minutes. Just no meat on the bones to cushion right now. And any cushion we tried has had buttons or something on it that is uncomfortable also. So I sit on my couch, try to focus on my chewing and how everything tastes, and enjoy it. We do have a little bit of conversation, but I'm usually trying not to say too much. I know that chewing well has helped me a lot.
The poster formerly known as "ABNOWAY"
"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." - Phillipians 4:8
JJR....based on the myriad of situations people face in life all the way to the diversity of how various cultures throughout the world go through their own ritual of eating... people obviously assume many different positions while they eat...From sitting on the ground with legs crossed to sitting at a dinner table and I'm sure there is a huge variety of cultural customs... As long as it's a mindful eating experience....doesn't matter what it is, as long as it feels comfortable and correct for an individual.
Sounds like what you're doing is just perfectly suited for you!
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything.....they know how to make the best of everything!"
My last post was about your first post. This post is about your after dinner experience. I totally relate to the anxiety while eating. I was talking to my Mom and I had been having anxiety over eating large portions. Because in the past, when I started having gut problems, if I ate too much, I felt awful. Now, things seem to be working better and I'm having to understand and realize how much really should I be eating. I saw on one of those food combining diagrams that if you cup your hands, that's acceptable. Well, for a long time my portions at one time weren't anywhere near that. Unless it was a salad. But lettuce is so much space in there. So now I'm much more likely to eat that kind of serving at once. And it feels right. I might have even gone over that at times and am fine.
Yeah, chewing is a really good thing. And it's really hard to do, unless you are focusing. I'm catching myself every meal saying, chew more, chew more. Because I know it will help the digestive process. I think because I'm a taster, I've been enjoying the flavor of foods for a while now and seem to focus on it a great deal. Because I'm interested in cooking and what spices and flavors are good together, etc. etc.
The poster formerly known as "ABNOWAY"
"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." - Phillipians 4:8
Wonderful article, Chloe. I'm very glad you posted it. I'll probably have to read it several times to absorb all of the information.
yeah thanks - me too... Best not to skim read I found - I am having trouble with reading particular words too fast, in certain headings...namely: VAGUS and PHRENIC NERVES... YOUR MOUTH AND THE ANS...
Interesting fact....so far this thread has had 12 different people responding: AB- 2 x people A - 2 x people B - 2 x people O - 6 x people plus me!
I did read somewhere in one of Dr.D's books that bloodgroup O really need to make an effort to SIT DOWN for meals- yeah I am also guilty I like eating on a laptray in front of the TV or with a book or the computer...or in the car (bananas)
I am aware every time I do it and feel ever so slightly guilty, sometimes enough to do it properly sitting down. I also catch myself bolting food. I have to really 'make an effort' to take three breaths before eating, but when I do....I do enjoy the food more. The sentiment 'better eat in peace in front of TV than uptight on table' would also be my motto and I hope that me being aware of when I do it lessens the 'badness' of doing it 'wrong'.
So I will add to my 2012 intentions...eat less sugar....eat less salt...while SITTING DOWN, RELAXED.
Well strangely enough, since I started this thread, my family has started eating dinner at the table. Lunch too a lot. I've been using my wife's office chair, which is comfy. I can recline a little and be comfortable. We need to buy a comfy chair for the table and I'll be good to go.
The poster formerly known as "ABNOWAY"
"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." - Phillipians 4:8
Growing up my family always ate at a table and we always had some conversation going (mother, father and three daughters). After I was married my husband and I continued this tradition since he also liked it. We have one daughter and two sons. Even when we had a toddler in a high chair we would pull the high chair up to the table regardless whether she/he had already had a meal. We always talked a lot during meals.
Now, the two of us sit at the table for supper and talk. Always there is music in the background on the radio. To me, it is very peaceful and sweet.
As for breakfast, I eat that at the kitchen counter. We each get our own breakfast and lunch. We eat lunch out when we feel like it. As you can tell, we are retired.
There is something very precious in eating together as a family, whether in the living room or in the dining room.
I have not read the article yet, but I oftenstand at the kitchen bar/counter to eat, particularly breakfast or lunch. I hate to waste the time sitting. I also have a problem with my throat closing and food becoming stuck if I don't mindfully relax and take my time eating. I cannot eat when stressed. Evening meals with DH are seated at a table, but we like to eat in front of the TV.
There is something very precious in eating together as a family, whether in the living room or in the dining room.
Not just as a family, either. I've realized since starting the BTD that eating together is a powerful way to build social bonds. I can't do it often because of dietary restrictions so I miss it a lot. I didn't realize how important it was until it was mostly gone.
Not just as a family, either. I've realized since starting the BTD that eating together is a powerful way to build social bonds. I can't do it often because of dietary restrictions so I miss it a lot. I didn't realize how important it was until it was mostly gone.
I agree about the social bonds. I may not be the best cook in the world but that never stopped me from inviting people for dinner. The comaraderie of dining, laughing, talking and sharing is just the best in the world.
So well put, NHG! I agree. SInce I live alone, I eat most of my meals at my breakfast bar but when my children are at the house or if I have company, we eat at the dining room table or in the summer at the table on the deck. In my previous house, we had a kitchen table and that's where we ate most of the time. The DR table was mainly for company or holiday celebrations.
So much communicating is done on-line and so many people have lost the ability to communicate one on one. It's really a shame.
So well put, NHG! I agree. SInce I live alone, I eat most of my meals at my breakfast bar but when my children are at the house or if I have company, we eat at the dining room table or in the summer at the table on the deck. In my previous house, we had a kitchen table and that's where we ate most of the time. The DR table was mainly for company or holiday celebrations.
So much communicating is done on-line and so many people have lost the ability to communicate one on one. It's really a shame.
Those endorphins really rise when people talk and laugh together.!!! Really good for the health and soul.
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Maybe I should start a franchise or exporting business?? lol
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I like eating on a laptray in front of the TV or with a book or the computer...or in the car (bananas)
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