1. Eat while seated.
Sitting in the car does not count! For me, I find that while I am in the kitchen preparing food I can eat an entire meal's worth from tasting and snacking while I'm waiting for my food to cook/bake/etc. Taking the time to actually sit down while you eat is a way to slow down and makes it easier to pay attention to what you are doing.
2. Remove all distractions.
This means no watching TV, no reading or listening to music. These are all things that can detract from the act of eating itself, and you want to give all of your attention to what you are doing.
3. No talking while eating!
While this one seems like basic good manners, we have become very adept at hiding food in our cheeks so that we can continue a conversation or get in a word. This rule becomes more interesting when eating with others. If someone asks a question and you have food in your mouth, simply hold up a finger to show you need a moment to chew before answering. This allows you time to think of what you might want to say, and also shows the other person that you value what you are doing, as the act of eating is one of the most intimate things a person can do. Your food literally becomes you, so to honor this by not spitting food while you gab is a great rule to adhere to. Also, in a group setting, you might find that while you have a snappy comeback or interesting tidbit to share, by the time you finish chewing it may no longer be appropriate to do so. This will make you a better listener, which is a wonderful quality to develop.
4. Take two handfuls of food.
This is a starting point, and of course two handfuls of lettuce is different than two handfuls of nuts. If you are dining out and your meal comes in a large bowl/plate, you can always ask your server for an extra plate so that you can dish yourself a two-handful sized portion. Most things have become super sized, so this is a great opportunity to watch your portion control. Of course, if you've eaten two handfuls of food and are still hungry, you are welcome to take more. Here's the catch...wait 3-5 minutes after finishing to determine if you really are hungry for seconds or thirds. It takes a while for your body to register that it is full, and if you've ever eaten to the point where you were stuffed, it's probably because you were going quickly. Also, you want to leave your stomach partially empty. Only eat until 2/3 - 3/4 full, as this is the point of satiety.
5. Put your utensil down between each bite.
Eating is not a race. Often times we chew with the next bite of food already on the fork just waiting to be devoured. Eating with chopsticks can be a fun way to slow things down, and they're easy to put down between bites.
6. Wait until your food is fully digested before taking the next meal.
This depends a lot on what you've eaten and your metabolism, but generally it takes between 2-6 hours for your food to digest. Allowing your digestive system proper rest is vital to creating health and wellness. After a dynamic yoga practice, you allow your body and mind rest in savasana, and eating food should be no different. It is very taxing to have your system running 24/7, so be sure to give yourself rest between meals.
I hope the takeaway here is that HOW we eat is more important than WHAT we eat. Even after the cleanse, these are wonderful principles to apply to your daily life. The homework for this week is to have one yoga meal a day. If you are eating with others, it is a good idea to tell them what you are doing (to avoid any awkwardness), and it is a wonderful thing to share. Just like the cleanse, you might find that one of these guidelines is more challenging than the others. Instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, try focusing on one or two guidelines as you get started, and you can work up to all six when you're ready!
Thanks, Elizabeth and Lindsay!
ReplyDeleteCould you remind us what the CCF tea that you mention consists of. I remember the cumin and fennel; what is the other C?
is it corriander??? elizabeth, please help!
ReplyDelete