14 DAY TRIAL // The time we dedicate to eating our meals plays an important part in the relationship we have with food, psychologist Pavel Somov says in his latest book, “Eating the Moment.” Chewing food properly, as well as enjoying each dish without any distraction, is key to learning to love food and developing a fun perspective on eating, he adds. Setting up the atmosphere for a quiet meal can be easily done, as long as we take a few steps to ensure we learn how to eat mindfully.
The most important aspect before sitting down to eat is to create a predetermined eating space. This can be done with what Somov calls “table feng shui,” and that implies, first and foremost, turning off the TV and clearing the table of all possible distractions, such as books or magazines.
The table is for eating, and eating alone, therefore, in order to properly enjoy our meal, we should eliminate anything else that might make our mind wander off. As Somov puts it, “the less there is on the table not directly related to your eating, the more room there is for your mind to focus on the food.”
Another way to make sure that our thoughts do not stray from the food in front of us is to create a minimalist setting as best as we can. For instance, instead of mismatched cutlery and plates, we might consider going for Asian-inspired tableware, which is minimalist and stylish enough to keep us engaged with only the food on the plate. We could get the same results if we went even further than this, by creating a separate eating space in a spare room.
In order to keep it as simple as possible, we should take out all the furniture from the room and keep only the table and chairs. Eating alone is something that Somov highly recommends, since this way, all distractions are truly eliminated. However, if we’re having company, we should keep all table conversations down to a minimum, so that nothing stands in the way of us enjoying the food.
The purpose of “Eating the Moment” is that of helping people develop a healthier relationship with food, one that is based on enjoyment, and not prompted by uncontrollable urges or emotions, as the official website points out. Mindful eating eliminates the dangers of overeating by placing more emphasis on the pleasures derived from this simple act, instead of on impulses that make us eat too much.
“These practices can be used at mealtimes to develop a more positive and healthy relationship to food. You’ll learn to develop awareness of the experience of eating and become more centered around your eating. By developing habitual awareness and a playful attitude about the process of eating, you will find that your eating slows down, becoming less compulsive and dictated by external forces such as boredom, emotional pain, or habit.” it is explained on the EatingTheMoment website.