Gotcha thinking, didn’t I! Gain thinness? You bet! We’re going to emphasize what you want—not deprivation and what you don’t want. Who wants to focus on “what I don’t want?” Not me. Hopefully, not you. I like to write, speak, make jokes, ponder and really consider: what do I really, really, really want? And then, I usually need to see if all the parts of my inner “committee” agree (or not). If some aspect of me disagrees or is in revolt toward the majority plan, then I have some inner work and “watching out” to do. Especially when it comes to using the old fork and spoon.
Of late, I’ve noticed I have a “gung ho” attitude about becoming a veggie maven, monstering against sugar and all its cousins—you know—the donut king, the chip queen, and of course, the cookie monster. etc. I want to go down a size, all over my wonderful bod, and ask my knees to carry less thigh around. This is truly what I want: to gain 1 size of thinness. 
You too? Well, maybe you’ll also say, “Me too,” about the following: another part of me could care less about “less,” and feels entitled to “just eat what I want.” Well, that’s trouble. House divided, two different bosses competing for control. Clearly, I need to find and consistently use some radically supportive measures for my “gung ho,” veggie maven self.
Remember those tiny or small steps I mentioned taking a few entries back? Well, I think I know how to use utensils to help support the “gaining thinness” mentality. Go ahead and fill one of them up, lift it up to your wonderful lips, close them, and put the spoon or folk down. Leave it there, appreciatively. (Your fingers were just spared a mess.) Now, concentrate on that wonderful bite in your mouth as you chew. Really concentrate. Now chew at least 20 times…even more, if you are able. (I find 10-15 to be a lot, yet I will hit 30 eventually.) Now don’t pick up that fork or spoon yet! Wait just a bit. Wait until you’ve fully enjoyed your bite, and rely on your utensils to lie immobile until you are really, really, really ready to get help with that second or next bite. Let the sleeping fork and spoon lie. Think of them as “busy elsewhere.” They’re taking a nap while your teeth, etc. are tending to the first task of digestion—the chomping phase. Those taste buds are doing their thing, giving you that satisfaction you wanted in the first place, and saliva is mixing in with the chomping to prepare the cuisinarted food to go down the hatch. Your tongue is involved prior to this, moving food from side to side for even better or varied chewing; your jaw is likely engaged as well. You could even think about these micro-steps while your fork and spoon are “at ease.” Sleeping beauties, if you will.
A less active fork and spoon, resting on your placemat between bites, will help you a lot. Don’t be loading either one up, ready to shovel more in; let them sleep as you’re busy chewing and enjoying. Focus on enjoying your meal, one well-chewed bite at a time. Then, perhaps, the disagreeing aspects of your (and my) inner self might form a truce: you and I are still “gung ho” and we don’t have to focus on “less.” We actually are focusing on more: more time to chew, more time to enjoy, a more gracious mood (sleeping utensils at times, rather than shovelling), and much more gladness that you are in the process of gaining thinness. Blessings be to us all.
Tags: chewing, chomping, concentrate, enjoy, gaining thinness, healthy eating, inner conflict, satisfaction, sleeping utensils, small bites, want
