When walking, walk. When eating, eat. Zen proverb
Imagine me 7 years ago, a 27 kilogram more with a swollen face, increasing intestinal and addiction to harmful habits. I ate pizza, biscuits, fried meat and cheese, french fries, drank beer and satisfying sweet latte. Then I was 32, and I walked along the straight road to diabetes and heart disease and could not understand how I roll off this road.
However, after one year I lost about 9-14 kilograms and run a marathon. Year of extra weight left after year. Moreover, I started to eat more healthy food. Now I love fresh fruits and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, beans and whole grains, unprocessed real foods.
How do I do it? I used a very simple method, which is not difficult to apply in your life. Yet most people do not want to use it even after I explain how this method is easy to use.
Here is the secret: I perceived the process as a meal meditation. This method for thousands of years (among others, he used the Buddha). And yet, it is so at odds with our modern society and concepts that most people do not want to even look in his direction. Quieting and slowing down, pause, concentration on food rather than on a computer screen - the main thing to do. And it works, and it is not difficult to apply.
Let's look at what most people do and how it affects their health and overweight.
"Diet" of modern man
Srednestatisticheksy modern person consumes too many calories, most of which he receives from the treated Sahara, White flour, fried foods, saturated animal fat, sugary drinks. We're talking about fizzy drinks, sweets for breakfast, hamburgers and fried chicken, French fries, cookies and chips. A lot of calories, sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and all this seasoned with chemicals. The main component of this problem - the advertising of fast food and the cultivation of a culture of fast food consumption. Most people do not eat because they are hungry, And out of habit, because of stress or because they need compensation, because of fatigue, depression and loneliness. Food consumption has become a kind of substitute for love.
We eat while watching TV, cinema, the computer, when talking with other people, and no longer even notice that we eat.
And yet, the food we eat, to some extent defines us. Food affects our health in the long run, this is one of the most important things in our lives.
We ignore it because it focused on other things. We lose sight of one of the most important elements of our lives, as the focus on the screens, emotional reactions and socialization model we do not want to change.
Food as meditation
I often practice this method of meditation. In contrast to the mindless consumption of food, it teaches absolute awareness, concentration, thanks for the food that you eat.
When we meditate sitting, we let go of all the other activities, thoughts, and just sit, paying attention only to the body and the breath, being with yourself, without judgment or expectations. Meditation during meal time - it's the same, but instead of just sitting around, we just eat.
This is not fast food consumption with a view to more sated and not even for the purpose of obtaining pleasure (although it happens). It's about slowing down, paying attention to the food, how to really enjoy it, being grateful for where it came from and those who prepared it. Thus it is necessary to pay attention to emotions during mealtime.
The advantages of this method:
- When you pay attention to the food, the taste is getting better.
- You will learn to enjoy healthy food, when to slow down and start it (slowly) to savor.
- You have become smaller, as the process of eating becomes meaningful.
- Naturally you will start to gravitate to simple products.
- You will begin to pay attention to emotions during mealtime.
- In your busy day will be a small oasis of relaxed awareness.
- is he relieves stress.
- It's fun!
Diet through meditation
So how do you come to such a method? It's simple: You can perform some of the points below or all.
1. Create a space. Often food intake process is combined with reading, working, driving and watching something else. Create a space for meditation, remove all unnecessary and do one thing - eat!
2. Put the food in front of you and look at it their attention. No matter what kind of food you choose - it may be a familiar meal or berries, carrots, broccoli, raw almonds or walnuts. Sit down and look at the food in front of you. Pay attention to its color, texture, imperfections. Feel the smell of it.
3. Think about the origin of food. Take a moment to think about how there was this food. From what she continent? As he got to you? Who raised it, brought and prepared? Which animal has given his life for your enjoyment and health? Be grateful for it all!
4. Try eating. Take a bite and enjoy the taste and texture of food. She is crunchy, soft, hard, grainy, dense? She's earthy, sweet, floral, salty, spicy, oak, citrus, herbal, spicy? Think also about what has been added to the food: chemicals, salt, sugar, fats? As these foods affect your feelings? How are you feeling? Be aware of what nutrients you give this meal, as it is nutritious.
5. Pay attention to the heart. What do you feel when you eat? You are hungry, sad, happy, feel pain, anger, fear, confusion, loneliness, boredom, impatience?
6. Take breaks between bites. Do not reach for the next piece until you have eaten current. Enjoy it, and then swallow. Breathe. Enjoy the space. Then repeat the same thing with the next slice.
Practice this method once a day. When it becomes a habit, start to practice the method of twice a day. In the end, do it every time during a meal, snack or when you drink.
expectations
This is not a quick way to lose weight. I dropped about 9-14 kilograms in his first year of a healthy diet, it's only about 0.2-0.3 kg per week. Do not expect instant progress and do not worry about weight or appearance.
This diet will make you rethink the process of eating, teach your taste buds to enjoy healthy food. You become more alert during the day, learn to appreciate what you have and be thankful for it, you will understand the effect of what you eat to who you are.
There is no long-term goal (weight loss, reducing the likelihood of developing diabetes or heart disease). the process of meditation during meal time - this is the end in itself. If the meal time you have been concentrated, we have already achieved success.
To succeed, you need only to go on this way!