The Mental Game: Mindful Eating Practice
Watching the top tennis players is akin to watching Houdini escape from ropes and chains tied. Be it Roger Federer or Serena Williams, the greats have an uncanny ability to escape and, further, to turn adversity into opportunity.
The big question is … how do they do it? If you asked them they might say, “I just competed, it’s not over till it’s over.” This may be true, but one thing for certain is that they are able to manage their emotional energy.
If you’re a competitive player, coach or parent, you’re probably thinking, “Sign me up! How can I get some of that energy?” The answer is … you already have it, it’s within you. The key is you have to be aware and grounded. Riding the waves of obstacles, success and challenges requires staying balanced emotionally.
Here is a simple practice that I learned that will help you manage your energy. It can be practiced each time you eat or drink during the day. It’s called “Mindful Eating.” It’s very easy … it only takes commitment, intention and awareness. The purpose is to slow down, ground yourself and be present in what you are experiencing. Sound familiar? The same things you want to do on the court.
I have found, and clients have told me, that when they practice Mindful Eating, they enjoyed their meal more. Why? Because they didn’t mindlessly gobble down their food and tasted what they ate! But the bigger bonus is they felt calmer during and after the meal. The practice helped them to re-connect to themselves. Therefore, they were able to easily transition into the next activity in their day.
The good news is that we all know how to eat, hopefully food that is healthy! But for this practice, the focus is on staying present to whatever you’re eating. To set the conditions for the practice, when you sit down for a meal, notice yourself sitting firmly in a chair, then take a few breaths, and bring up the imaginary chain of events it took for the meal to reach your table.
Next are the key points for the actual eating/drinking part of the practice: Once you use your utensil to gather and transfer the bite to your mouth, place the fork/spoon back on the plate and chew. Only when you finish chewing, do you then pick up the utensil for the next bite. Even better would be to take a breath and/or sit back in your chair for a moment between bites. You might also pick up your drink before the next bite, but again, once you lift the glass to your lips and drink, place the glass back on the table. This prevents gulping, or what I call double or triple pumping!
As a reminder, when you are chewing, your hands should be on the table or your lap. The fork should be sitting on its own. This will help you to avoid pre-loading, pre-arranging, or shoveling the next bite when there is already food in your mouth. Essentially, the idea is to finish chewing, take a breath, lean back or take a sip. Then you arrange the next bite with your utensil.
Through this practice, a transformational thing may occur—you will become aware when you are full. You will have a more relaxed and enjoyable meal, which will translate into the rest of your day. Mindful Eating and drinking will provide you the opportunity multiple times a day to re-connect to yourself. The practice will help you become more aware, centered, and grounded to what’s happening around you.
Imagine if you could do that on the court?
Kinda Houdini, Roger or Serena like!
