Stress-Free Christmas. Week 4: Eat Mindfully

Feasting at a festive table, a cup of coffee with a plate of sweets, a festive lunch... are ideal opportunities to take a break, be fully present and at the same time truly enjoy the food or drink.

The first prerequisite for this is to really focus only on the food, putting all other distracting elements aside. And then just perceive the smells, the temperature, the tastes... You may discover something new - perhaps you have never eaten a walnut roll or drunk coffee with full attention before. You will discover new dimensions of taste, you may also find that you do not need so much food or that the usual delicacies do not satisfy you for so much. Over time, you will learn to better distinguish which food is good for you and which is not.

How to do it?

• Turn off the TV and put away your cell phone.

• Before you start eating, stop for a few seconds, take a deep breath and exhale. First, just perceive the food with your other senses – how colorful it is, how it smells. Am I even hungry, or just craving something? What of what is in front of me appeals to me?

• Take a smaller bite than usual and try chewing a little slower than usual.

• Watch the taste, how does it change?

• After you swallow, pause for a moment (1-2 seconds) before reaching for another bite.

• In the middle of a meal, stop and ask yourself a follow-up question: Does my body want to eat more , or just “finish the portion because it’s there”?

  
  

If your hostess offers you something that looks tempting, but you're no longer hungry or in the mood, don't be afraid to politely decline.

Author: Veronika Veselá