www.tcme.
org Summer 2010
Food for Thought
W h a t i s m i n d f u l e a t i n g ?
• Allowing yourself to become • Choosing to eat food that is • Learning to be aware of • Acknowledging responses to
aware of the positive and both pleasing to you and physical hunger and satiety food (likes, neutral or dislikes)
nurturing opportunities that nourishing to your body by cues to guide your decision to without judgment.
are available through food using all your senses to begin eating and to stop
preparation and consumption explore, savor, and taste. eating.
by respecting your own inner
wisdom.
Free Handout for Individuals from The Center for Mindful Eating
Overcoming Fear by watching a scary movie over and like turning on the lights in the
over where the ending is always movie theatre so you can tell
Knowing Fear
the same. That’s why fear gives us yourself, “It is only a movie that
By Donald Altman M.A., LPC
the sense of being stuck and I’m getting frightened by.”
As a former senior mental health hopeless. So is there a way out of You can, for example, ask yourself
therapist at an intensive out-
these questions: What really
patient eating clinic, I dined often
triggers my fear? When did it first
with patients—making sure they
begin? Where do I notice the
ate all their food. I saw
sensation of fear in the body? Is
individuals filled with anxiety
my fear connected with an image?
and frozen in fear with the idea
If so, try to notice the image in as
of taking another bite or trying to
much detail as possible.
consume a “challenge” food,
such as a slice of pizza, a serving Fear of food is not innate. Show a
of pudding, or a small scoop of baby a fat-free salad or a chocolate
ice cream. Do you fear food? If pie and it will not flinch from
so, you are not alone. There are “Show a baby a fat-free either. Fear of food is not innate,
many chronic dieters and salad or a chocolate pie but learned. Fortunately, what can
health addicts who have be learned can also be unlearned.
and it will not flinch from
irrational food fears that are Remember, scary movies don’t
restricting their lives and food either. Fear of food is not really make a whole lot of sense
choices—often to the point of innate, but learned.” when you turn on the lights of
physical and emotional illness. curiosity, clear knowing and
the fear cycle? seeing.
What exactly is fear? Fear is
related to the need to escape or Donald Altman, M.A., LPC, is a
Fortunately, mindfulness moves
psychotherapist, former Buddhist monk, and
avoid a danger that is real or you past fear, and it does this by author of The Mindfulness Code and Meal by
perceived. Fear can even be the letting you closely examine and Meal. Contact: [email protected]
memory of a threat. Giving in to an observe fear and anxiety, as if from and www.mindfulpractices.com
unrealistic food fear is much like a safe distance. Imagine this to be
TCME is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the principles of mindful eating. This handout can be copied and distributed for educational purposes.
