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By conscience, we mean our full presence in the moment, to give intentional attention to our thoughts, emotions and the natural environment. The awareness of this is that we know this precise moment in which we are living, at this moment, without talking about the past or expecting anything from the future.
Sometimes, our minds may feel overwhelmed by thoughts bombarding us in all directions. It's hard to focus on what we do, because there are so many other thoughts / ideas / feelings that interfere. To be conscious, we must turn our thoughts around and pass through them, leaving anxiety over our endless lists. We can achieve this by focusing on what we are doing now.
At first, it can be difficult to focus on just one job, but like everything else, it takes some practice.
What does "EATING CONSCIOUSLY" mean?
Consciousness must be applied to daily activities such as eating! Respect for food is an approach that helps us gain control of our eating habits. This technique brings awareness to the food we eat with all our senses, such as:
- Taste
- Texture
- Odor
- Vision
BY EATING CONSCIOUSLY we understand what we eat and how we eat it. It also helps us understand (and stop) the bad, nonsensical eating habits that we may have established over the years.
Three steps for more attention to consumption
The average person eats meals and snacks throughout the day without paying attention and recognizing what they consume. We all do it - we sit down to eat with our friends and family or “pick” something on the go and, before we can think of what we eat, we have eaten it.
This kind of consumption prevents us from truly appreciating and knowing our food. When this happens, the amount of food and calories we consume is increasing rapidly without us realizing it, making it extremely difficult to control it.
Here are the three steps we need to take in order to eat consciously:
1. AWAY FROM DISRUPTION
Isolate yourself from any distractions that may be around you, such as phones or computers. Try putting your phone into Flight Mode by turning off alerts and ringtones. While eating, be present and in a place where you can focus on the meal or snack ahead of you.
2. CALM DOWN
Give yourself enough time to sit down and enjoy your meal. Eat slowly, so you can focus and be calm in each bite. Slow eating allows us to know when we really feel full, improving our enjoyment of food without the need for over-consumption.
3. PAY ATTENTION
Pay close attention to the physical act of eating. Bite small bites and observe the smell, the taste and the texture of the food. Also observe the amount of food on your plate and decide what portion size to eat now and what to leave for your next meal.
Studies have shown that approaches based on conscious eating can be effective in dealing with many eating disorders, preventing weight gain, and improving emotional health.
BY EATING CONSCIOUSLY, we pay attention to what our bodies need when we are hungry, and we develop a more natural and balanced relationship with food.