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Day 23: Savoring
Another way you can increase awareness of your food is to use the concept of savoring. With this technique, you eat a very small amount at a time. But while you're eating, you pay total attention to how the food tastes and feels.
Learning to savor
To practice savoring, choose a piece of chocolate or other type of candy that you can eat in five or six tiny bites. One of the best options for this exercise is the Andes' brand three-layer, rectangular mint.
Slowly unwrap your candy. Smell it and notice its delicious aroma. When you're ready, bite off one of the four corners. Then one at a time, carefully bite off each of the other three. As you eat, notice the texture and how the candy feels in your mouth. If you're eating an Andes mint or a similar candy, pay special attention to the separate flavors of chocolate and mint.
Next, eat half of what's left, and then finish eating the rest of it. You should have gotten a total of six bites from your candy. As you eat the last bite, focus on the sensation of swallowing. Picture the bites actually moving down your throat and into your stomach. Let yourself feel the candy as well as taste it.
One is enough
Once you've finished this exercise, ask yourself if you want another mint. Usually, the answer is no. When you eat with this level of awareness, you receive an amazing amount of enjoyment and satisfaction from your food.
Also, because you truly notice and appreciate the taste of the food, you get what you want, your craving stops, and you realize that you don't need to eat any more.
Next time you eat one of your favorite foods such as a piece of cheesecake or something chocolate, savor it and notice every detail. Take tiny bites, about the size of a fourth of a teaspoon, and then pay total attention as you eat the food. With each bite, allow yourself to feel contented and satisfied.
You can use this savoring technique witChoose something to savor, ideally an Andes mint or a small square chocolate candy. As you eat, pay attention to the smell, the taste, and the texture as well as the sensation of swallowing it..h any type of food. It works especially well with sweets and desserts, but it can also give you a new appreciation for foods such as pasta or green beans.
TODAY'S TASKS:
Choose something to savor, ideally an Andes mint or a small square chocolate candy. As you eat, pay attention to the smell, the taste, and the texture as well as the sensation of swallowing it.
In your notebook, describe what the candy tasted like as well as how it felt in your mouth.
When you've finished, decide if you need more food or if you're content with what you ate.
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