Mindfulness while eating!!

[Fee]

Soooo, I got braces a few days ago and they've been hurting quite a bit which means that its not very easy for me to chew or bite things. But this doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing! When I had a macaron yesterday, I had to eat it real slow because otherwise my teeth would have hurt. And I started thinking about the taste of the macaron and the way it was hard on the outside and soft on the inside and I have to say it was probably one of the best eating experiences I've had! Ya'll should try it

[safari93]

Hey @Fee, I'm a huge fan of mindfulness too! I grew up in a Buddhist family, so I learned about it pretty early on, but I never really practiced it till a few years ago. One of my favourite things about it is how you can practice mindfulness in so many situations!

I like to practice it when I'm outside walking, and I focus on my footsteps and the different sounds, sensations and smells, like the breeze or the smell of the trees or the feel of the asphalt under my feet. It's very settling for me, and it makes for a good grounding technique

[TOM-RO]

Hey @Fee! What an awesome idea to practice mindfulness that way- I’ll have to give it a go! I never really understood mindfulness until someone explained it to me properly. It can really help to slow things down and keep your mind/thoughts grounded in right now! It’s nice to have the power to slow things down and appreciate the smaller stuff as sometimes we don’t get to in this crazy world! Thanks for sharing your experiences 

[StarLord]

That's awesome @safari93
I'm curious about how your family taught you mindful eating when you were growing up. Can you tell us more about that?
I'm interested in how we can teach others to become more mindful and learning mindfulness as a kid is pretty great.

[StarLord]

@Fee I think you're a star for seeing painful braces as not necessarily a bad thing. I found braces to be so hard when I first got them.
I did get to eat a lot of pasta though....
I just wanted to say it's lovely to see someone put a positive thing on such a painful experience.

And your post is a great reminder to be mindful It's nearly lunch time, I'm going to take it on board!

[letitgo]

Hey @Fee! Well done for taking something positive out of a painful experience!

Have you had any more mindful eating activities since that macaroon?

I agree with you about the benefits of mindful eating. I love using it with chocolate, which I find I can otherwise get carried away eating...  

[safari93]

@StarLord I sort of learned mindfulness from them and also from Sunday school (a Buddhist one, of course). They just explained to me what it was, and as a kid I didn't really get the whole 'living in the moment' thing (probably because I was a constant daydreamer lol), but at one class a monk taught some breathing and focusing exercises and I finally understood!

[StarLord]

@safari93 cool! thanks for sharing  

[Chloee]

Is someone able to explain what mindful eating actually is to me? I have tried mindfulness a couple of years ago before sleeping to get rid of anxiety, and a few friends have suggested for me to try mindful eating, but I don't really understand it! 

[peppermintpeony]

That sounds really awesome! I'm hoping to learn to practice mindfulness. Mindful eating sounds great!