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Mindful ActivityKnow Your Limits

Know Your Limits

Your body lets you know when you’re full — it’s the listening that can take practice. Start this exercise just before you begin to eat and we’ll guide you through a mindful meal, checking in with how your body feels along the way.

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In this exercise, you will learn to tune in to any sensations of fullness in the body. Do this exercise as you get ready to plate your meal, just before you begin to eat. Plate yourself the amount of food that you normally do, then begin to eat mindfully. Pause this exercise as you eat and begin playing again halfway through your meal. Now that half of your food is gone, pause eating and notice how your belly feels. Let's take a few calming breaths. Breathe in and fill the body with air, breathe out and let go of any urge to hurry or forge ahead. Now, notice if you are still physically hungry. If you stopped now, would you be satisfied? If you ate more, would you feel overly full? Do you feel uneasy stopping before you're that full? That's not uncommon. Simply be aware of any unpleasant feelings that might develop. You don't have to change the feeling, but acknowledge it with compassion. Learn to breathe and rest with just enough food in your belly. If emotions are driving the desire to eat, pause, and reflect on what action would be more beneficial. Let yourself decide whether to continue eating based on these reflections. If there is still food left but you've had enough, save it for later, make this decision from a place of concern for your body. We look forward to seeing you in the next lesson....

Details

TypeMindful Activity
Duration2 min

About your teachers

  • A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.

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  • Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.

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  • As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.

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  • Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.

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  • Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.

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