Visualization for Weight Loss -The Gabriel Method

Part III: Physical Stresses that Activate the FAT Programs

otherwise want or need, and what happens next is that you stretch your stomach. When you stretch your stomach, it takes even more food to fill it. You end up having to eat more food just to feel full, but this feeling has nothing to do with how much food you actually need. The way to avoid these problems is to eat leisurely and more consciously. Rather than mechanically putting food into your mouth while you are watching TV or reading, become aware of the fact that you are actually eating. Make a real effort to chew your food thoroughly and really taste it—see if you can identify each spice used. I find that cook- ing with new and unfamiliar spices is a good way to train the taste buds to turn back on. When you chew your food more thoroughly, you digest it much better. Digestion begins in your mouth. There are digestive enzymes in the saliva that will help predigest the food you’re eating. By digesting your food better, you’ll be extracting more nutrients out of the food, and you will, therefore, require less food to nourish yourself. If you think about it, this should not really be a chore, because all of the fun of eating is when the food is actually in your mouth, and you actually taste it. By keeping the food in your mouth longer, you’re maximizing the pleasure of the meal. Additionally, after eating for about five or ten minutes, it’s a good idea to take a short break. Just relax, and enjoy your sur- roundings or the company you are with. This reinforces the message to your body that food is abundant; there is no need to rush. It also gives your brain a chance to catch up with your stomach. Lettuce Slow You Down One great strategy for making your meals more abundant is to turn them into salads. Leafy greens take a long time to chew, so you can’t help but chew your food more thoroughly and more slowly when it’s in the form of a salad. For example, if you are eating a pizza, you can cut the pizza up into bite-sized chunks and put them into a salad with lots of different fresh lettuce leaves and sprouts. Choose a dressing that

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