Beating the Bushes

I think, given that today marks the 30 day count-down to surgery, that it's a good day to start beating out some of those long ingrained and ultimately unhealthy behaviors that won't help me in the future. Namely: Eating too fast and not chewing my food thoroughly. (I do chew my food, just not the way you have to chew it after surgery, when you're stomach's full of sutures and can't do it's normal digestive churning as well as usual.) In other words, it's time to make mindful eating a daily practice.

The lovely people at the Weight Center (WC) have given me a sheet containing a mindful eating exercise that I confess I have not tried, nor even finished reading through. Each time I start to read it, my eyes glaze over and my brain starts thinking of other things. I dunno what that's about, but I'm not going to fight it. I think there are other mindful eating exercises I can come up with that will do just as well. After all, the point is to slow down, pay attention, chew completely, and enjoy right? Right.

I think I'll start by reminding myself of a few salient points at the beginning of (and as often as necessary throughout) the meal.

1. I've taken the time and trouble to cook something delicious, it's foolish not to enjoy the result of my efforts.
2. Eating a meal is not a race.
3. The food will still be there when I'm ready for the next bite.
4. If other people finish their meal before me, no big deal - we're eating together to enjoy each other's company and conversation (refer to item #2).
5. My stomach does not have teeth. It cannot chew my food for me.

There! I think that's a good start. And now I'm off to brunch with my lovely wife and my friend Sally, so I'll have an opportunity to put this into immediate practice.