I became a wellness coach because of the journey I have travelled. There are a lot of parallels in this life, if we have our eyes and minds open to them. A big one for me is connecting how I practice with how I eat. Sound weird? It is, and it isn’t. To me the connection is the same, being mentally in the body while you are using it. For yoga, it is tuning into the breath and how it affects the body, for eating it is sensing what is being eaten and how it makes the body feel.
In my life, it is not so much finding healthy food choices but in finding a healthy balance in amount of food. To do this, I try to eat like I practice: with joy and passion but also mindfully, growing awareness to how the body is affected. But, how do you even start to make that connection? Here are a few of the ways:
1. Avoid distraction.
Just eat, already. Start by just eating without any outside distraction, no iPhone, no tv, not even music. This means eating at a table reserved for such, clearing off bills, folders and permission slips. That part is usually a challenge for me.
2. Notice everything.
Notice the color of your plate, the food, and the smells. Notice how the food tastes and how the body feels when you take food in. Notice how you feel before you’ve eaten and while you are eating. Most especially notice how you feel after eating.
3. Say no to serve ware.
Serve plates at the stove and don’t put platters or container of food on the table. This was one I tried years ago, and it is just natural now. We always serve ourselves in the kitchen, and then make our way to the table.
4. Make it an event.
This one works for me. At our house we set the table, and unwind from the day. It’s not just about taking time to connect while we eat, it’s a subtle nicety that we chose to add to the day, even if we are crazy busy. I remember my youngest always running to the table first when I called out that dinner was ready, huge eyes peering over the table-because even now we all bustle to the table, ready for more than just the food on it.