Pilates Principles: Diet

Life is busy and how you eat is just as important as fitting in your workouts.  Let's learn how to eat mindfully using Pilates principles from the book Pilates Practice Companion  by Alycea Ungaro.


Breath: Take time to smell your food before you eat it.  The process of cooking food helps the body prepare for the dish ahead.  Also be aware of different temperatures of food.  Room temperature chicken tastes and smells different then BBQ chicken or cold fried chicken. 


Control: Be aware of your portions.  Use the hand method to regulate serving sizes.  A cup of fruits/veggies is the size of your fist, a serving of cheese is the size of your thumb, and meat portions are palm size. 

·         Concentration:  Lastly, try not to eat mindlessly.  This means be present with your food.  Try not to read or watch TV.  Take smaller bites (or use chop sticks) and make sure you chew your food more than you think you need to.  This will give you time to enjoy the textures/flavor while allowing your body to tell you sooner when it is full so you don't overeat.