Getting Mindful with Food
MINDFULNESS ISN'T JUST FOR YOGA.
It's that time of year when everything starts feeling a little up in the air. Kids are going back to school (maybe), winter is upon us, things are getting darker earlier, and there is a shift away from the summer vibes, even if perhaps this year those vibes were muted slightly.
With all this change, now is a great time to get mindful and focus back in and support ourselves where we can.
Mindfulness often sounds overly complicated, and you need to set aside hours a day to become the perfect yogi to be mindful; well, that isn't the case. As your friendly neighbourhood Nutritionist and not your mindfulness coach, let's talk about some practical steps you can start incorporating in and around mealtime to help you find some mental space with your meals.
INCORPORATING MINDFULNESS INTO YOUR NUTRITION ROUTINE
Don't be so serious. We often get wrapped up in the "right" and "wrong" choices when it comes to our food and our diets; however, realistically, unless you are allergic to something or know it makes you ill, these categories don't exist around food. Liberate yourself from this divisive thought pattern and make more room for flexibility in your food choices.
Take a few deep breaths. We all get caught up in our lives, commitments and expectations, it isn't likely that you can avoid or ignore all of these things, so instead, I invite you to take a few deep breaths when you sit down to enjoy a meal. Taking a few moments before you start eating to breathe can help you create a bit of space and give your digestive system a helping hand.
Chew your food! Taste the flavours, savour your mouthfuls, be a participant in the meal you are consuming. 100% this doesn't sound like stress-reducing tactics, but just the act of chewing your food and paying attention to chewing your food will help to reconnect you with your meal.
Share your meals with people you like. Perhaps an accurate weird tip, but so often in our lives are we stuck having meals with people that are "just ok." We've all had the coworker that it is better to spend a meal with than no one, but when possible, enjoy meals with people that make you laugh, support you, encourage you and are an all-around blast to be around.
Last little tip, try not to expect to do every one of these tips every meal. Focus on one that sounds manageable to you and see how working it into your routine feels.
Remember that if adding one of the above tips causes your additional stress or anxiety, it isn't doing you any favours, so consider making the idea smaller, bite off a little bit less and be kind to yourself.
