8 keys

For those who are not familiar with this way of eating I will tell you about the 8 keys to conscious eating that Thin Within teaches. As an adult I had to relearn how to eat. To not only pause, reflect, and pray before eating but to learn these concepts and put them into practice.

1. Eat only when my body is hungry. This means stomach hunger. That ache or growl or whatever your signal is.
2. Eat in a calm environment by reducing distractions. That is, turn off the tv, don't answer the phone etc. We tend to eat in a hurried manner if the environment is that way.
3. I ate when I was sitting. If I eat running through the house or driving in the car I tend to eat more.
4. I ate when my body and mind were relaxed. When I am relaxed I eat more slowly and enjoy the food more.
5. I ate and drank the things my body enjoyed. No more diet foods or food rules for me.
6. I paid attention to my food while eating. When I pay attention I not only enjoy my meal more, but also tend to eat more slowly.
7. I ate slowly savoring each bite. I have noticed it takes time for me to sense satisfaction. If I eat too fast I go beyond that point.
8. I stopped before my body was full. To me this is when the hunger disappears. If I eat to the point of slight fullness I have eaten too much.
It takes about a fistful, or some say a cupful, to reach that point.
I will tell more of my story at a later post. I wanted to share this today.