Enjoying and Appreciating Food

While scarfing down a salad on mute during a conference call, a quick pang of guilt hit me. The food we eat heals our bodies, gives us energy, and if we consistently make the right choices, keeps us on top of our game mentally and physically. Throughout our day, we often find ourselves prioritizing time for almost everything besides time to appreciate the food that keeps us going.

If you're no stranger to wellness, then you've most likely focused a lot of energy into carefully understanding the choices you need to make around what you eat, but another vital aspect of proper nourishment is HOW you eat, which means permitting yourself time to enjoy your food away from the chaos of a daily routine.

According to one study which compared the impact of slow and quick eating on healthy women, those that consumed their food slower rated higher satisfaction with their meals, consumed less food, and had higher levels of satiety! Eating slowly is also a component of the 80% rule, which is one of the blue zone Power 9 characteristics. It can take up to 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it's reached capacity. By setting aside time to connect during our meals mindfully, we are now prepared to gauge when we've hit 80% full, and that 20% gap could be the difference in keeping off any unwanted weight if we tend to overeat in a rush.

Consciously make an effort to find 15-20 minutes in your day to sit down away from the computer, phone, or anything that might put you in a stressful state to appreciate the nourishment you've been able to provide for your well-being.

If you're still looking for guidance to improve your nutrition or ability to eat more mindfully, we'd love to help. Whether it’s Nutritional Coaching, Mindfulness Coaching, or a combination of the two.