Eating Without Distractions
Post #4 of the Beginner's Guide to Mindfulness.
Focusing on Eating Without Distractions.
Eating a meal is one of the most common ways you might zone out and focus on other things during the activity. This can cause you to overeat and really distracts you from being fully mindful of what you are doing.
This is also an easy way to start practicing mindfulness and understand how it all works. Here are some tips for focusing on what you are eating without distractions.
Eat anything you want – To start with, don’t worry too much about what you are eating, but how. Choose your favorite meal or snack so you aren’t stressing with it being ‘healthy enough’. You just want to focus on eating and get used to eating without having outside distractions.
Sit in a quiet place without distractions – This might be hard for you as many people eat in the front of the TV or while using their cell phone. But this is the biggest problem – to eat mindfully, you need to focus only on the food and nothing else. Sit in your office with the door closed, at a dining table, or anywhere else you will get a few minutes of peace and quiet. Turn off the TV and your cell phone.
Embrace every sensation – Begin by using all your senses during your meal. Look at the colors of your food, taste each flavor on your tongue, and smell the food. Feel the sensations of the food in your mouth, such as temperature and texture. By doing this, you are enjoying your food to the fullest and are not rushing through yet another activity in your life.
Benefits of Mindful Eating
- Food tastes better
- Inspires healthier choices
- Offers better digestion and absorption of nutrients
- Helps you learn how food affects your mood and energy
- Reduces over eating and binge eating
Thank you for joining me in this series!
In case you missed a post or would like to refer back.
POST # 2: Focus on One Thing at a Time
POST # 3: Bring Awareness to Certain Activities
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10 Rules for Healthy Skin
1. Never go to bed without cleansing your skin.
2. Don't smoke
3. Practice safe sun exposure and do not use a tanning bed.
4. Use safe skincare products.
5. Visit a skin care professional regularly.
6. Get a good night’s sleep.
7. Gently exfoliate your skin 1-3 times a week.
8. Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, even if it’s just a fast-paced walk.
9. Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet:
- high quality protein such as lean meats and fish
- colorful fresh fruits and vegetables
- whole grains such as old-fashioned oatmeal, legumes such as beans and lentils
- healthy fats (wild Alaskan salmon ,nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut and olive oil)
10. Drink plenty of water and anti-oxidant rich teas such as green, white and rooibos.
Soups On: Hearty Minestrone Soup with Fresh Arugula
This satisfying minestrone soup features a classic combination of fresh herbs, vegetables, white beans, and pasta. Although this recipe is delicious as written, don’t be afraid to experiment a bit with the ingredients. This dish is a great way to use up any extra fresh herbs and vegetables you have available.
Tip: For best results, cook the pasta separately, rather than in the same pot with the rest of the ingredients. This extra step yields more consistent results by eliminating the release of excess starch into the soup. It also prevents the noodles from becoming too soft and mushy, which means more appetizing leftovers the next day and better results when freezing for future use.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50-55 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
3 large stalks celery, finely chopped
1 28-oz. can petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15.5 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 c. organic vegetable broth*
2 whole bay leaves
1 T. fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped (or 1 t. dried)
1 T. fresh thyme leaves (or 1 t. dried)
1 T. fresh oregano leaves (or 1 t. dried)
½ T. crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional: 3” Parmesan cheese rind
2 c. Fusilli pasta
2 c. fresh green beans, cut into ½” pieces
2 c. fresh arugula
Optional Garnish:
¼ c. fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* Use additional vegetable broth to reach desired consistency, if needed
Directions:
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and garlic in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or just until garlic starts to turn golden brown.
- Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery and cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are soft and tender.
- Add diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, 4 cups vegetable broth, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes to pot and stir to combine. Add Parmesan cheese rind, if desired, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 20-25 minutes.
- While soup is simmering, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining pasta. Rinse pasta and transfer to a medium bowl and toss with remaining olive oil. Cover and set aside.
- Remove cover from pot or Dutch oven and add green beans and the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Stir to combine and continue cooking, uncovered, another 20-25 minutes or until green beans are crisp tender.
- Add arugula and additional vegetable broth, if needed, and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until arugula begins to wilt.
- To serve, divide cooked pasta among individual serving bowls and top with hot soup. Top with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve with crusty bread and/or a crisp, green side salad for a hearty meal.
- Enjoy!