Ruhu's Journal, 02 November 2013

Eating mindfully… it's obviously been on my mind a lot as I can't stop thinking about & saying enough good things about the retreat. While there, it was so easy, but in real life...

So, I'm reminding myself of the 2 lunches where Michelle guided us through the process, one we did in complete silence which was really eye opening to me. To start, we'd fill our plates (it was a buffet) with the amount of food that we thought it would take to get to that right amount of fullness, knowing that our stomachs are only the size of a clenched fist & that we could always either get more or leave some uneaten. After sitting, we'd first give thanks in our own way upon looking over what we'd chosen. We'd then mentally or physically divide our meal in half, which would become the point where we would reevaluate how hungry or full we still were. When we were ready to begin eating, we'd identify the the best bite which would be our first. I realized that I'm not alone in saving the best bite for last, which set up that I'd eat it all or somehow get to that bite regardless of how full I felt. From there, we'd eat slowly, really tasting each bite, savoring it, noticing the aromas, texture, temperature, etc. & putting the fork down after each bite & not reloading it until we had swallowed the last. Many of us realized that we were already loading the next bite before we'd finished the last. On the day were we were speaking with the others at out table, we'd socialize between bites so that while we were actually eating, that was our focus.

It takes time to eat this way, which helps with determining when you're full enough since it takes 20-30 minutes for our brains to register it. And when we reached that satiety point, we'd put the plate aside & turn our attention to other things. I had 2 revelations through this process. The first was that I compared how much I ate with how much others were eating. I seemed to always feel that I was eating more than anyone else & stopped before the point when I truly thought I'd had enough. While I know in my head that i shouldn't be comparing myself to anyone else & eating to my personal fullness level, it was very difficult for me to do & another area to work on. But, I also realized that even though I was stopping eating before I really thought I'd had enough, I was in fact at the right amount of fullness as I was able to make it to dinner with an afternoon snack & not getting too hungry. This made me realize that I'd been eating beyond the fullness level that I needed to & should readjust knowing that I could always get more later if I started to feel too hungry again too soon.

This process takes time, but is so worthwhile! Anyone else wanna?

It's already midmorning, I've been to my spin class, but before I get farther into my day, I'll pray --

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

And for this one mindfully lived day and each one mindfully eaten meal, moment, bite & emotion, I'll pray, breathe, journal, feel & express my way. I'm grateful today for each of wonderful you, my family & IRL friends, the awesome retreat I can't stop thinking & writing about, and having the health & Wealth to live this live I love mindfully. xoxox

120.5 lb Lost so far: 7.5 lb.    Still to go: 0 lb.    Diet followed reasonably well.