DAY 5: Food for Thought

On Day 5 of the program, it's all about eating slowly and mindfully.

This is another step that is particularly helpful for me. I tend to eat food as if it were trying to escape; no sooner do I have a forkful of food in my mouth than I'm loading up another forkful to quickly shove in.

And as I mentioned, shoveling things down my throat without really paying attention is another of my quirks, and what's worse, I usually eat in front of the TV or the computer.

So since eating quickly and mindlessly helped get me where I am today, this step will make a big difference to my diet.

I don't expect an easy transition, but for a start, I've resolved to cut out distractions: no more watching or surfing while I eat. Then I'll chew each bite slowly and thoroughly, concentrating on the flavors and textures. And between bites, I'll set down my utensils, clean my teeth with my tongue, and sip water.

As a reminder, I've added yet another Post-It note to my fridge (it's getting pretty crowded up there). This one's yellow with the word SLOW. Here's hoping that has me putting on the brakes!