How to Experience the Rapture of Eating
In order to let go of junk food and bad eating habits, you need to experience what I call the Rapture of Eating. In other words, you need to relearn how to appreciate the goodness of food. It means the difference between being a glutton or an epicurean.
Do you rush through your eating experiences as if your eating in a panic? As if there is no tomorrow? Then you can be enjoying the Rapture of Eating, which requires time. This is not about ripping open a bag, tearing open a box, or dumping a can into a pot and plopping yourself down in front of the television.
To feel the real joy of eating, which will discourage you from a disastrous habit of snacking, you must learn to take your time, eat something good enough to feel rapturous about, and you must create an atmosphere conducive to the appreciation of good food.
Let me give you a snapshot of how I came upon this on the Isle of Elba. Every morning, I awoke to the intoxicating aroma of cornetti baking in the oven of my hotel. (These are a type of Italian croissant. They're doughier and less buttery than French croissants, but they are delectable!)
These amazing cornetti were one of the reasons why I took pains not to overindulge at night. I didn't want anything to ruin my guiltless enjoyment of the cornetti in the morning!
But it wasn't just the cornetti that made breakfast such a rapturous experience. Colazione, as they call breakfast, was served al fresco, on a terrace overlooking a lovely garden near the sea. So that's 25 points for the cornetti, 25 points for the setting. And I'll give another 25 for the companionship. (Students of the Italian language were all placed at the same table so we could converse together about our classes and our adventures.) The other 25 points goes to the coffee, which was usually cappuccino or a caffe latte.
Can you eat in your garden? If not, do you have a balcony? If none of the above, do you have a sunny window where you can create a "breakfast nook"?
Here's how I brought the Rapture of Eating Breakfast back to the United States with me. As soon as I got home, I moved from eating breakfast staring at my kitchen wall to eating it in my lovely, sunny living room to make the experience feel more like Italy.
When I moved to California, I acquired a garden. I tried making my own cornetti. (Not a pretty picture!) The resulting disaster didn't discourage me. I found a French cafe with an outdoor terrace and some excellent croissants that were close enough. The universe took me seriously and even stepped forward to provide some Italian regulars. And I was in business!
Of course I don't eat these delicious croissants every day. I make it a treat to have one on the weekend. But my point is you need to make your dining experience pleasurable in as many ways as possible. The food itself is important, but it's not just about the food. Give yourself a pleasant surrounding whenever possible, and some good companionship, even if it's only on weekends.