Breathe - it helps

I recently read (most of) Thich Nhat Hanh  and Dr. Lilian Cheung's book Savor.  It's a non-traditional, yet traditional guide to losing weight.  It's traditional in that it tells you the truth: to lose weight,  you must consume less energy than your body expends.  It's non-traditional in that it gives some ideas on how to come to peace with that fact and your body.  Mindful eating is prescribed.  It goes further than the chew slowly, chew often, put your utensils down between each bite.  It encouraging fostering a spiritual view of food and how our body uses.  It's peaceful and gentle.  I like that.

Through out the book, breathing meditations are offered.  They are simple. "Breathing in, I am aware of my breath.  Breathing out, I am aware of my breath"    And I make up my own now.  "Breathing in, I am aware of my hunger.  Breathing out, I embrace my hunger.  Breathing in, I calm my body.  Breathing out, I smile."   The last in/out is not 'made up', but comes from one of Thich Nhat Hanh's meditations.

What I am finding is that these SIMPLE breathing meditations are effective in helping me work through appropriate hunger.  They help me slow down.   I am calmer and not frantic about my weight.

Breathe - it helps.