One of my closest friends (who will forever remain anonymous!) told me he ate two pumpkin pies on Thanksgiving. Really? Now, I don’t want to be the one to ruin anyone’s fun, but isn’t that maybe a little excessive? I’ll admit I’ve over-eaten food that tasted so good I didn’t want to stop either. And if you happen to be eating quickly, you don’t give your brain time to register the whole experience, so you want more because you don’t feel satisfied.
And sometimes when we take that second or third (or even the first) piece of pie or cookie or whatever we’re eating, we feel guilty about it so we gulp it down. So no one sees? Or so it doesn’t count? How silly is that?! 🙂
Just imagine this for a minute…
You cut a healthy-sized piece of pie, place it on a pretty plate, and sit down in a comfortable chair (no, you can’t do this standing in front of the refrigerator in the kitchen). Before you take a bite, take a couple of deep, slow breaths so you’re feeling relaxed and calm. It’s just you and the pie—no TV, e-mail, or Facebook. Before you take a bite, fully take in the aroma. Can you smell the spices? As you take your first bite and chew, notice the texture. Is it creamy or chewy? Is it tart or sweet? You probably can’t take in all of this information if you’re only chewing three times and swallowing, right? Take time to chew it thoroughly and savor every bite. Take your time. There’s no hurry—no guilt.
Now I know when you’re at a holiday dinner or party you’ll be busy socializing, but you can still take a couple of breaths, slow down, and enjoy every bite. You’ll be amazed how much more satisfying your food will be.
Try it out and let me know!
