Take Your Time... Enjoy it

Do you eat food or experience flavors?

I'm well into the meat (no pun intended) of the "French Women Don't Get Fat" book and I've had some "aha!" moments that I feel I should share.

Life is busy and crazy and it flies by. I work a lot, and as such my time to do much else is fairly limited. This definitely affects how I eat and enjoy food. Or don't enjoy it. I spend my days either zipping through meals that lack nutritional value, or go so long without eating that my stomach considers eating itself. Or I eat something I immediately regret. Sound familiar to any of you out there? I hope not, but I have a sneaking suspicion that at least a few of you can relate on some level.

So while I cannot afford the time to do this too frequently, I have been able to slow down some of my eating habits. And it truly is as the author of this book says... it's art. When you make it art. It's an experience, an indulgence, a masterpiece. When you make it a masterpiece. It doesn't matter if you're eating a piece of toast or the finest surf and turf or the most decadent tiramisu. If you take the time to enjoy your food, it will become a better experience overall, and may even have the ability to slow your appetite.

Think about what you're eating. Enjoy it slowly. Purposefully. For example, I am having leftover chili that roomie made for the Super Bowl. (Side Note: Kristen's chili is to DIE for). So it's leftover night. But I loved every minute of it. Whatever you're eating next, try a few things:

- Take smaller, non-heaping portions and chew them thoroughly before droppin em down the hatch.
- Close your eyes when you chew. Focus on the flavor of each part of your meal. So chili was a grand experience of figuring out each part of what I was eating.
- Try to look at your food as a thing of beauty, rather than just a way of sustaining life. (and trust me, a Snickers bar can totally be beautiful... so can a glass of water).
- Stop eating when your body tells you "I'm done!" rather than when your plate is empty. Mama always taught me it was better manners to leave something small on your plate.

As I mentioned before, I haven't really lost much weight. I think maybe 4ish pounds, if that. But like most women, it fluctuates. And I'm sure I have enough water weight to start a community pool. So perhaps a detox/cleanse is in order. But I haven't done that in years... ick. But regardless of the slow progress, I am enjoying myself. I have hiccups in the plan and I still have some bad things to eat every couple days, but I am slowly casting these things off. Cold turkey is not my style... unless it's covered in gravy. :)

~ M

Photos from Artful Food Blog and Cake Journal.