Mindful Eating

The past few weeks I have found myself doing something that I rarely do - emotionally eat. I've been snacking at work, eating cookies and candy, inhaling anything I can get my hands on. It's clear to me that I haven't been eating with hunger, but eating to distract myself from whatever it is that I'm working on or thinking on or worrying about. So, late Friday night, I sat down with my books and came across this notion of "mindful eating". The author described this process of eating each bite with intention. Eating slowly. Chewing each bite at least 50 times before swallowing. Allowing the mouth to aide the stomach in digestion. The author claimed that we only need about half of what we actually eat, so if we eat mindfully we will eat less and, therefore, we will be able to afford to purchase organic food with our savings. I was doubtful about the eating half of what I eat now part, but the rest made so much sense to me - eating as a meditative act. The following morning, I woke up and made myself pancakes. Sitting down with the pancakes, I took my first bite. I chewed and chewed and then...gulp...I had involuntarily swallowed the pancake well before the 50 chews. So, I tried again. Chew, chew, chew...gulp. Huh. This next time I decided to count to 50 before I allowed myself to swallow. I comfortably made it to 16 before my throat was begging to swallow. I fought every natural reflex and instinct to make it to the count of 20. I was surprised by how frustrated I became, how I held my breath and fought my own will. After several attempts, I decided that maybe 50 is a target to work myself up to and that I would settle for the hard won 20 chews for the rest of my breakfast.

Breakfast took forever. But I'm not complaining - it was an interesting awakening to realize just how fast I normally eat. And, as it turns out, the author was correct. I ate one pancake when I ordinarily wouldn't have stopped before two were down the pipe. One was all I was hungry for. My stomach had time to catch up with my mouth and for once in my culinary life they were on the same page. No uncomfortable feeling in my gut for overeating. No emotional punishment from my brain angry that I had overindulged. No, nothing negative at all. I do believe I've stumbled upon a habit worth developing - and that doesn't happen too often.