Staff member Brittany McCumbers, CPS, has begun a peer group series, “21 Days of Mindful Eating.” In this information sharing series, Brittany is educating peers about how they can use the principle of mindfulness to guide healthier meal preparation and eating.

As always, the last Monday morning discussion group began with a review of current events. Peers shared photos of peers who participated in the weekend’s Night to Shine dance at First Baptist Church of Americus. The event is part of a nationwide celebration founded by famed athlete Tim Tebow, providing a night of celebration of and for people with special needs.

After enjoying a dance routine by peer Mary Green, the group turned to its ongoing discussion of proper eating. Brittany shared many tips that would promote mindfulness in eating – that is, slowing down, being more aware of one’s thoughts and feelings, and being present in the moment. Some of the tips included:

            Eat slowly – don’t rush your meals today.

            Adjust your alarm to allow enough time to prepare and enjoy breakfast.

            Before beginning a meal, take a few deep breaths to center yourself.

            Pause and put down your fork between each bite.

            Be aware of your breathing as you become full.

            After your first few bites of a meal, try to take smaller bites than when you began.

If it is too hard to slow down for an entire meal, try to eat more slowly for the first five minutes.

            Enjoy every bite of your food.

In the photo above, Brittany McCumbers leads Perry Wellness Center group discussion on mindful eating habits.