Breathe While You Eat

Breathing during meals is a great way to help you become a slow, relaxed eater.  If you’re eating while distracted by work tasks or involved in tense conversation, or if you’re a habitually fast eater, your breathing will be more shallow.  By reminding yourself to breath more deeply during meals, you’ll naturally slow down become more present, and metabolize with greater power.

To increase your breath intake during eating, at least three times during any meal ask yourself “How is my breathing?”  Then consciously deepen your breath with as little effort as possible.  Focus on deep breathing to a level that’s new for you yet still feels natural and comfortable.

Use gentle, fuller breathing as a natural pause during meals.  Delight in oxygen as you would delight in the food itself.  Deep breathe three times at each pause.

Consider the oxygen you inspire as fundamental to your meal as a salad or a pickle.  With each breath you’ll deliver more oxygen into your bloodstream and to your cells, where it will instantaneously generate calorie-burning power.  After several weeks, you’ll notice that breathing while you eat has become a new habit.  You won’t need to remind yourself as often because it will be a natural and automatic part of eating.  By slowing down to breathe you will increase your metabolic speed.