Why try a "yoga meal?"

I am thrilled to announce I have recently embarked upon a new journey, and am earning a 200-hour yoga certification. This certification is over and above what most instructors are required to have to teach, but I am a compelled to get more thorough and comprehensive instruction. This training will help me develop into a better teacher, to better serve my students, and to deepen my own practice. As a student in this program, part of our “homework” is to engage in at least one “yoga meal,” per day. I invite you to try and do the same with me-not in order to lose weight, not to blindly follow some arbitrary rules, or as part of some restrictive diet, but hopefully, to help you engage in a more mindful and healthy lifestyle. In a nutshell, a yoga meal can be described as more mindful eating, but with specific guidelines. 

They are as follows:

1.     Sit down for your meal.

This can be a challenge in our busy lives, but to slow down at least once a day, is doable for even the busiest among us. It is also good to model this for our children.

 2.     No conversation when chewing.

Yes, most of us follow the rule of not speaking with our mouths full, but we often attempt to share our thoughts when we are still truly in the middle of eating.  In doing so, you will not rush the process and will get to practice being a better listener to others.  Have you ever been so busy yapping, that you actually forgot what you just ate? I have! When that happens, you will be more likely to take more food since your mind did not actually process that you already ate.

3.     Refrain from reading, watching television, playing on your phone,   Ipad, or using some other electronic device. 

This will help you to abstain from the mindless eating we tend to do when we are busy or preoccupied.

4.     Wait until your food is completely chewed and swallowed before picking up your next bite. T

Take the time to fully savor your food. Enjoy the taste, texture and sensory experience of eating.

5.     Refrain from putting more than 2 large fistfuls of food on your place at one time.

If you finish your food, wait 3 to 5 minutes before taking more. This allows you to gauge whether or not you are truly full. I know many of us tend to eat the things we love beyond the point of feeling full, or satiated.

6.     Wait until food is digested (2 to 6 hours), before taking your next snack or meal.

Unless you have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, low blood sugar, etc., let yourself get truly hungry before you eat again. You are bound to enjoy your next meal more fully when you have the appetite for it.

I realize many of us have already know about such practices for mindful eating, but if you are like me, knowing and doing, are two very different things. So, I invite you to share part of this journey with me. I invite you to try and engage in one “yoga meal’ per day. Warning: increased mindfulness, a more satisfying and enjoyable eating experience, and even weight loss may result!

Namaste folks.