Ever felt frustrated and hungry right after a meal? Or felt sick because you ate too much and felt like your stomach was going to burst? Whatever food you eat, your attitude towards food is what makes for a happy meal. To feel happy and satisfied no matter what you eat you need to shift your perception of food and make some changes to the way you eat.
Take a Moment to Look at Your Food
We are so often in such a hurry to be done with a meal that we do not take the time to look at our food. For your next meal, take a moment to look at your food. Notice how it’s plated and try to guess the ingredients used by taking in the aroma. Notice the different colours on your plate and how they all come together to form a wholesome dish.
Feel Grateful
Gratitude towards food will translate into a happy and satisfactory meal. When you feel grateful for what you have instead of complaining about what’s wrong with every aspect of the food, you automatically feel happy about it. Realize that food is a precious resource, not just a source of energy but a source of life. Every bit of salad that you consume has had a long line of hard labour behind it, from growing the vegetables to ensuring that they reach the consumer market for consumption. When you truly recognize all the hard work and effort that goes into growing and creating your food, you will be grateful for every morsel.
Eat Slowly
Relish your food; chew your food slowly and take your time with each bite. When you gobble up your food, the sheer pleasure of tasting the food and its texture is lost. Make eating food an art form by taking small spoons of food and thoroughly chewing each bite. This also helps you feel satisfied and ensures that you do not overeat.
Share Your Food
There is so much joy in sharing your food. Try sharing your meal with a friend or maybe someone less fortunate. Giving food is an act of kindness that will bring you immense joy. And when you eat your food, you will think about how you felt when you shared your food and that memory will keep you happy no matter what you eat.
Eat Till You’re Satiated, Not Till You’re Stuffed
When you’re eating, you will reach a point where you feel comfortably full. Stop right then; do not be a glutton and overeat simply because the food tastes good. Overeating will just make you feel sick and drowsy. This is in contrast to eating to your fill, which will make you feel energetic and satisfied. Don’t flood your intestines with food. That will just lead to indigestion and other digestive problems.
Be Attentive Towards Your Food
Know what you’re eating and how it will affect your body and energy levels. While caffeine may give you a quick energy boost, a banana smoothie will give you energy and keep you feeling full for a much longer time. So being aware of your choices and making sensible decisions on your day to day life will keep you happy no matter what you eat.
Eat for the Right Reasons
Eat to restore energy and provide your body with the nourishment it needs. Don’t indulge in emotional eating, that is, eating to get over emotional trauma. It is a downward spiral that leads to obesity.
Skip a Meal
Not sure what all the hype is about food and being grateful for it? Try skipping a meal. Your body will protest at the lack of food and your stomach will grumble. When you know hunger, you know the true value of food and you will definitely start appreciating what you have.
Don’t Multitask While Eating
Assign a time and place to eat and concentrate solely on your food. Don’t try to multitask while eating. Don’t even read or use your smart phone. When you’re distracted, you’re not fully aware of what you’re eating and how much you’re eating. Eating should be a conscious process with no room for distractions.
Food, be it simple street food or expensive gourmet food, is fundamental to our existence. We need to make an effort to open up and accept it in all its forms. Every cuisine has its own different flavours and cooking techniques. But the one thing that binds the cuisines of the world together is their love and respect for food. Once you learn to love and respect your food, then you will be inevitably happy and satisfied no matter what you eat.