Mindful Eating

Book excerpt: Turn food from foe to friend with this bestselling guide to developing healthy eating habits through mindfulness practices—from a beloved Zen teacher Food. It should be one of life’s great pleasures, yet many of us have such a conflicted relationship with it that we miss out on that most basic of satisfactions. But it is possible—and not really all that difficult—to reclaim the joy of eating, according to Dr. Jan Bays. Mindfulness is the key. Her approach involves bringing one's full attention to the process of eating—to all the tastes, smells, thoughts, and feelings that arise during a meal. She shows you how to: • Tune into your body’s own wisdom about what, when, and how much to eat • Eat less while feeling fully satisfied • Identify your habits and patterns with food • Develop a more compassionate attitude toward your struggles with eating • Discover what you’re really hungry for Whether you are overweight, suffer from an eating disorder, or just want to get more out of life, this book offers a simple tool that can transform your relationship with food into one of ease and delight. This new edition, updated throughout, contains a new chapter on how to provide children with a foundation in mindful eating that will serve them well all the rest of their lives. It also includes a link to a 75-minute on-line audio program of mindful eating exercises led by the author.