A new trend in West Hollywood, California is giving us a new alternative way of losing those pounds. On the brink of making a New Year's resolution, some take to meditative eating as a means to enjoy food more and to worry less about dieting.
It is unusual to see people dining together in silence, but a group from West Hollywood shows us how concentrating on what we eat can not only help benefit our health but also makes us enjoy our food more.
Lynne Goldberg is a meditation expert and owner of "OMG I can meditate". Lynne and her friends dine in silence while paying attention to what they eat shown in a video segment in ABC7 New York. Lynne says, "Before you take a bite, notice the sensation in your moth and then notice the flavor."
She added, "Pay attention to how your body is physically feeling. Just tune in to your belly. Just notice if you're full, if you're hungry and maybe give it a numeric value."
Scaling from one to ten, one being your extremely hungry and ten being extremely full. Learning to stop at around seven is the perfect way to execute the practice Goldberg says.
The story covers a post-thanksgiving dinner, where Goldberg and her friend enjoy a well-cooked meal, taking into consideration where the food came from and how it was prepared.
By looking at the food itself, you are actually paying attention to the smell and the different textures the food has after a long process of preparation. You will be able to notice different tastes, if it is sweet, tart or bitter and can distinguish if it is soft, crunchy and how it feels as you swallow.
Similar to the practice of Halal, there will be a sense of where the food came from, farm to preparation. Along with the practice of eating meditation, emotions are also involved. While eating you can ask yourself, is it hunger or is it habit? You will notice negative self- talk that may be accompanied by your parents' voice telling you to finish your plate, or maybe it can take the form of other voices, saying you cant have that, your too fat, said Goldberg.
Eating meditation makes a person mindful of how much food is actually going through the body. Where as when a person eats normally, or is eating fast, they tend to do less chewing and more swallowing. Tiffany Cruz a friend of Goldberg said, "I just eat anything and I don't really pay attention to how fast I'm eating. So if I actually take my time, maybe I can make better food choices."
The practice does not only work in a group setting, but is also encouraged when eating solo as well. The easiest way to practice is at home and it's a way to get started said Goldberg. Starting with a small breakfast at home and just pay attention to how your body reacts at times while you partake your food.
When you're out, by looking around and paying attention to your environment, it will help you realize how you eat when music is playing or when you see someone eating at a fast pace. Lynne Goldberg and her eating meditation techniques can be available to you today. Her "OMG I can meditate" app is already available for $13 and offers a wide variety of techniques and food to eat.
