Here’s a fun exercise for you to do to get more acquainted with how mindless we can be around food. Find a glossy magazine with lots of photos. It could be women’s magazine, a cooking magazine or another thing else that grabs your attention. Leaf through the magazine one page at a time and when you happen upon a picture with food on it (and you will – they are ubiquitous), notice what kind of reaction the photo elicits. Does the food look appealing? Do you want to have some of whatever is shown? Do you become aware of your own hunger or fullness? Does your appetite kick in? Are you getting hungrier?
Being mindful about food means becoming aware of your response to food, regardless of how it is presented. After doing this exercise, you may notice that you are aware of how food that is not presented for you to eat causes you to want to eat anyway. Pay attention to TV ads too. You may notice the same thing.
