Salad + cookie = balanced lunch at Prasad in Portland, Oregon.
We all experience food cravings and struggle with how to manage them. Creating mindful eating habits can establish healthier ways to eat as well has help you learn how to handle your cravings with a higher sense of awareness and intention. A quick mindful meditation created by Jamie Zimmerman, M.D. uses the acronym STOP.
S = STOP what you are doing and acknowledge the craving.
T = TAKE 3 slow, long and deep breaths. Give your panicky brain some oxygen that is struggling with a craving.
O= OBSERVE where the craving is it coming from and what emotion(s) you are feeling. Stress, fear, disappointment, weakness, habit? Just pay attention to where it is stemming from without judgment.
P= PROCEED in a way that feels supportive to you without judgment. The first time you do this you might be able to mindfully move your way out of a craving or not. The importance thing is to just be aware of your craving, the emotion driving the craving, and what you default to doing when you feel this emotion, without judgment.
Mindful eating takes patience and practice. Get a jumpstart on the process by joining one of the 30-Day Mindful Eating Challenges HERE.
