Mindful What?

I have been writing a lot lately on mindfulness. I am thinking it is the new buzz word but I have been trying to practice it for years. But what is it and how does it apply to your life? Mindfulness is using your mind to its full potential. No you do not have to be an Einstein to use your mind but if you can put this into practice in every area of your life you will be more productive, thinner and happier.

Mindfulness in food means that you are thinking of more than just eating it. When you practice mindful eating the first thing you need to think is are you really hungry. If you have just eaten then the answer is probably no. If you haven’t eaten try drinking a glass of water. If you are still hungry then eat. Mindful eating means choosing wisely what you are going to eat. You need to stop and think is this good for me or not and act accordingly. Thinking through your eating decision is the key to good health. Food is medicine. Good food that is. If you think about it and envision what this food will do to you it is easy to make a good choice. If you think you want french fries think what this will do you your body. Eventually if you continue to choose to eat them, clogged arteries and a large butt. You get the picture.

Mindful eating’s next step is preparing your food choice or if you are out to eat, think of how the food will be prepared, and once again, choose wisely. Stay away from margarine, corn oil, and hydrogenated oils and choose organic butter, olive oil, or coconut oil. Choose wild caught fish and seafood and organic meats and vegetables. Think it through. how good this will be for your body?

Now your food is prepared, where are you going to eat it.Mindful eating means thinking about how good the food tastes, how delicious it looks, and smells. You cannot do this if you are distracted by a computer screen or a television. If you choose to eat in front of your TV or computer, every time you sit in front of one of those devices you will be hungry. Do you know why? You have trained yourself to be. Now let’s add in those commercials that make your mouth drool and you are headed for disaster. Choose to eat at a table. Make your spot inviting. If your table is cluttered with papers or you let your cat run all over it then the table will not be inviting.

Make the place that you are going to eat better than a restaurant. And please, no devices in the dining area. Set the table and use a napkin and utensils. Now time to eat. Be mindful of what you are eating. Make it look appetizing on your plate, don’t just slap it on there. Use all of your senses and your mind when you eat. Smell the aroma of the dish, taste the flavor, don’t just gobble it down. Be mindful of what you are eating and how you feel, eat just until you are comfortable not until you are so full you have to go lay down.

Be mindful after you eat. Get the dishes put away right after you eat meaning clean up your mess. Think about how it will only take a few minutes to clean up and how good you will feel knowing that the dishes are done. Being mindful means thinking what is best for yourself in every single angle of your life. Thinking things through will give you more time to do the things that you want to do and thinking through those things will help you enjoy life more.

We were all given a mind for a reason. Take the time to think through your daily life rather than rushing through and eating whatever and where ever. You will have less indigestion and will be calmer because you have thought things through. Mindfulness is important in every part of your life, start practicing it until it becomes second nature. Your mind and body will thank you for it.

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