The most intimate relationship that you'll ever have is with your food. You are what you eat. It's an emotional relationship as well. We celebrate sharing food, we connect in a social setting while eating. We also define who we are with food. However, how many times do we consciously eat? A research study says that mindful eating can bring about greater awareness of how and why we are eating. The science of yoga helps us understand how we can bring mindfulness to the most mundane act of eating. So let's dive into 5 simple ways of eating mindfully

• Choose the right food

Holidays are all about indulgence; while indulging is alright, sometimes we end up overeating. Make wise choices right from the beginning, and choose at least one healthy and wholesome meal every day. Also, having portion-sized meals is a great way to put check on that empty calorie intake. A pro tip this holiday is to share what you order rather than an order for each one separately! Sharing is caring for others and yourself too! Choosing the right food is the first step in the journey of weight loss.

• Eat only when you are hungry!

A lot of times we eat for reasons other than satiating our hunger pangs. We eat when we are bored, we eat when we are emotional and we eat to accompany others. Yoga has a simple thumb rule for eating and that is to eat only when you are hungry. Eating to us must remain an act of fulfilling our basic needs rather than letting it become a product of our habit. Eating only when hungry times is very beneficial for weight loss as well. Exploring Morning Yoga for weight loss can also prove to be beneficial.

• Eat in silence

Silence is golden. When you eat in silence all your senses are focused on eating and the food. Studies have shown that eating mindfully leads to better nutrient absorption in the body. Turn off your devices and eat with complete focus on the food. Eating in silence also enhances weight loss. Eating in silence is also like meditation. Meditation on the whole is a technique relevant to multiple everyday chores. You can learn meditation with Kalari’s Online Meditation Classes.

• Posture for better digestion

Thunderbolt pose is the only posture that's advised to do immediately after eating. This posture is very good to promote digestion. After every meal tries to sit in the thunderbolt posture for at least 10 mins to improve digestion. Better digestion ensures that one is satiated for a longer time and does not feel hungry now and then. Thunderbolt also promotes calmness of mind as it is commonly used for meditation practices. 

• Drink your food and eat your drink

Studies have shown that poor chewing can lead to delayed and decreased absorption of nutrients in the body. Proper mastication is the deliberate act of slowly and mindfully eating which can also reduce stress levels. Mindfully chewing also helps to avoid overeating.   

Try not to eat in a hurry. Take time out for one of the most important activities of your everyday life.  The intricacy of our relationship with food makes it worth giving it our attention and awareness!