“Zen meal. Eat from one bowl.”

There is an epidemic of obesity sweeping the Western world. Why? Mindless eating.

Caused by a lack of focus on your food, it's source, nutritional value and portion size.

Mahatma Gandhi was never overweight. He often cooked his own food, sourced locally, creating a simple meal, eating it from a simple, small bowl. The small bowl acts as a reminder to eat in moderation. Often, Gandhi, as do monks of many traditions around the world, ate in silence, accompanied by prayer.

This mindfulness, applied to the act of eating, can revolutionise your diet, your health, and your physical form.

Today, don't grab a takeaway snack or bar, eating it mindlessly as you walk. Instead, prepare a bowl of simple food, prepare and eat it mindfully, with prayer if you wish. Savour each mouthful, considering where the food came from, who grew it, nurtured it, shipped it, brought it to your kitchen, to your bowl. If you don't own a small bowl, today would be a great day to go out and find one. Love it, use it as a tool on your spiritual path.

Today's thought is from the series '31 Ways to Have a Better Day'.