Conscious Eating
Why do we need chocolate or chips when we are sad? Why is it that when we are overwhelmed by stress, angry, or bored, do we tend to eat uncontrollably?
The way we relate to food
We express some of our emotional conflicts through the way we relate to food. We feel compelled to eat without hunger when we need to calm anxiety or fill a void of frustration or fear. That is why it is essential to begin to recognize those moods that push us to eat compulsively, in order to manage them more appropriately. Because at that moment what we need is to feed our soul. Instinctively we have related nutrition to emotions. The link between food and affection comes from our origins.
The link between physical and emotional nutrition
Our mother breastfed us when we were babies in a loving act. The need for affection and nutrition are primary needs, without which the child could not survive. For this reason, physical and emotional nutrition are closely related in each of us.
Sometimes, when we feel an emptiness inside us, the quickest resource we have is to fill it with food. When we eat we take something that is outside of us and we take it inside us, so that the food merges in us and becomes a substitute for the true need we have. This can become a habit and, in the face of negative emotional situations we are faced with, eating an excessive amount of food, eating faster than normal or eating without hunger. We can end up with a greater feeling of guilt and discomfort, try to go on a diet the next day or carry out continuous regimens, so our body is in a perpetual struggle to recognize its physical needs. But also emotional.
What can we do about this situation?
Just ask yourself, why do I want to eat now? We must learn to listen to our body. A good tool is to practice a relaxation technique or take a few minutes a day to take care of ourselves. It is also very important to eat healthy foods, because if my body is nourished I will feel less need to go to the fridge and eat junk food. Each of us knows what we like, what favors us and what suits us. And the better I eat, the better I feel. There is nothing as nutritious as receiving a hug or calling that person who always comforts us.
It is important to remember that our body is a vehicle for modifying our emotions and that we can manage our sadness simply by trying to smile or by moving. Walking or playing happy music and dancing can be very useful in those moments when anxiety invades us.
ON THE OTHER HAND, WE CAN ACQUIRE SOME SMALL HABITS TO LEARN TO EAT CONSCIOUSLY, ENJOY FOOD AND THUS IMPROVE OUR HEALTH:
– Let us be aware of the food that comes to our table. Who has made it possible for them to be there, how much processing have they needed, how have they been cooked? Food is a sacred act and we can be thankful for the food we have. They nourish our body and give us the energy we need to live.
– Take your time to eat, at least 20 minutes. If you have less time, reduce the amount of food you are going to eat.
– Eat consciously, without watching television, the computer screen, a book or any other activity that prevents you from being mindful. And always eat sitting down. – Before starting, observe the food, its shape, its color, its aroma. Let all your senses be present.
– Eat in small bites, savor and delight in the flavors. Chew very slowly, until the food melts in your mouth.
– Between bites, try to leave the cutlery on the table and wait a few seconds until you bring the fork back to your mouth.
– Do not skip any meals, the feeling of hunger later can lead you to binge eat later.
Eating with reason is the best way to learn to eat healthy and enjoy food. We have to learn to recognize when we are hungry, as well as to recognize when we have had enough to eat.
