Meditating Your Way to Weight Loss

Okay, stop right there. We aren’t about to tell you that you will shed pounds by getting in a Zen-like position, but what we are about to show you is how you can use a simple (and timeless) technique of mindful eating to curb your appetite while learning some great insight into your eating habits.


The technique is nothing new. It’s been practiced for hundreds of years, but in a recent post from Leo Babauta, he lays out a great way for you to get started down a path to healthy, mindful weight loss.

Here’s an excerpt from his post “The Meditation Diet: How I Lost 60+ lbs. by Savoring” on Zen Habits. It’s an incredibly easy way for you to get started meditating your way to weight loss…

Create space. Too often eating is multitasked with reading or working or driving or watching. Create some space for the eating meditation — clear away everything else, and just do one thing. Just eat.
 

Put your food in front of you, and consider it. The food you choose doesn’t matter — it can be food you already eat on a regular basis, or you can consider a handful of berries, a carrot, some broccoli, some raw almonds or walnuts. Sit down with the food in front of you, and look at it. Notice its color, texture, imperfections. Smell it.
  

Think about its origins. Take a moment to think about where this food came from — is it from another continent, or somewhere in your area? How did it get to you? Who grew it, picked it, transported it, prepared it? What animal gave its life and suffered for your pleasure and health? Be grateful for all of this.

 Taste it. One bite at a time, put the food in your mouth and savor its taste and texture. Is it crunchy, soft, chewy, grainy, syrupy? Is it earthy, sweet, floral, salty, spicy, oaky, citrus-y, grassy, herbal, mossy, tangy, tannin-y? Think too about what has been added to the food — chemicals, salt, sugar, fat? How does the food make you feel? Consider what nutrients the food is giving you, how it is nourishing you.

Notice your heart. What do you feel as you eat? Are you hungry, stressed, sad, happy, hurt, angry, afraid, confused, lonely, bored, impatient?
 

Pause between bites. Don’t pick up the next bite as you chew. Just stay with one bite, then swallow. Breathe. Enjoy the space. Then repeat the process for the next bite.
 

Practice this once a day. When it becomes a regular habit, try it twice a day. Eventually, do it every time you eat a meal or snack, or have anything to drink.

You won’t pour off the pounds. In fact, it is a very gradual process, but we’re confident that you will be so much more healthy and happy once you practice this on a regular basis, we can’t wait to hear what you think!

Be Well,