Savour the day

The theme for the 2017 International No Diet Day, which will be held on May 6th, will be « Savour the day ».

Too often we associate the act of savouring with something tempting like a special treat or something we seldom indulge in, for example ice cream. This raises the question : when was the last time you actually took the time to savour a simple daily meal?

This article will focus on two common types of extreme eaters : those who believe that eating is a waste of time and the others who spend their time thinking about what they are eating.

Type 1 personalities do not enjoy cooking and may even insist on not having the time. Their fast-paced life will not allow for taking time to savour meals on a daily basis. They multitask while eating. They eat while working, studying, watching television, and even driving. Food is simply fuel that allows them to get from point A to point B. Does this sound familiar? How can you enjoy what you’re doing while you’re thinking of something else?

Type 2 personalities are obsessed by what they should – or should not – eat. The world of food is simply black or white, it’s either « good » or « bad ». When they give in to a tempting treat, they justify it by convincing themselves that they will be « extra good » tomorrow. They are then caught in a vicious cycle of deprivation, restriction, and finally succumb to temptation and eat excessively. They do not realize how much time and energy they dedicate to thinking about food. Does this sound familiar? Image what can be accomplished if all that time and energy was dedicated to another project.

Regardless of which scenario describes you best, it is essential that you learn to savour your food. Take the time to either rediscover or build a healthy relationship with food. It is a true pleasure to savour good food.

4 tips to help you savour your meals

1. Be in the moment, cut the distractions and take time to eat.
2. Pay attention to detail : taste, smell and texture of foods.
3. Variety is key. Break the routine and try new foods.
4. Watch videos on taste sensory exercises produced by Équilibre, either for chocolate or fruit

Do you have any techniques that help you take the time to savour your food?

Alyssa Fontaine, Dt.P

Savour the day is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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