learning to listen

one of the best ways to learn to eat the way that is right for your body is to pay close attention to the things it tells you about itself. for example, many of us - if not all of us - are socialized to continue to eat long after our brains are telling us we've had enough food. our brain sends us signals which we are conditioned to ignore.

to help counteract the affects of a life time of cultural inculcation, the Angels suggest to begin by giving yourself a normal-size portion of your foods - whatever that size is to you.

after you have eaten approximately one half, put down your fork. take a break in your meal. assess your body. how do you feel? if you are still hungry and the food still appears appetizing, especially if it is one of your favorites, by all means, eat it.

if you're not sure, take a couple more bites of everything on your plate, or approximately one half of what's left. now assess. continue to do this - eat half, then pause and assess, eat half then pause and assess, until you begin to recognize when your body tells you it's full. i was astonished to realize i was usually full after i'd eaten a little more than half of the portions i normally served myself. i found this technique to be particularly helpful for foods i really love and have a tendency to overindulge in - like rice pudding or salt and pepper potato chips.

the process of learning to listen to the signals of your body can be a lengthy one, and even when you do listen, it can be very difficult to overcome the resistance to paying attention. therefore, the angels urge you to be gentle and patient with yourself. there is nothing you are doing "wrong." you are discovering your body's wisdom. the body contains deep core wisdom. it will not be discovered, or remembered, or understood overnight.