Savor: A Buddhist Guide to Mindful Eating and Achieving a Healthier Weight, Combining Nutritional Science and Mindfulness Techniques for Lasting Change

End Your Struggle with Weight.

Your Path Begins Here. Drawing on dietary guidelines from the Harvard School of Public Health alongside Zen contemplative traditions, the authors outline seven core practices that transform routine meals into conscious nourishment.

Cheung and Hanh examine the habits behind mindless overeating, offering practical steps to regulate portion sizes and choose wholesome plant-based foods.

With the scientific expertise of Dr. Lilian Cheung in nutrition and Thich Nhat Hanh's experience in teaching mindfulness the world over, Savor not only helps us achieve the healthy weight and well-being we seek, but also brings to the surface the rich abundance of life available to us in every moment.

• Mindfulness Exercises: Learn to pause before meals with the five contemplations, centering awareness on the sun, soil, and labor that brought food to the table.
• Nutrition Science: Discover Harvard’s traffic-light beverage system alongside clear guidance on heart-healthy unsaturated fats and the hidden risks of liquid sugars.
• Weight Management: Overcome rapid eating habits by chewing each bite thoroughly and resting utensils between mouthfuls to register genuine satiety.
• Actionable Strategies: Downsize dinnerware to nine-inch plates, prepare balanced meals the night before, and implement realistic routines that curb evening snacking.
• Also by This Author: Fear, The Art of Communicating and The Art of Power.

Thich Nhat Hanh was a world-renowned Buddhist Zen master, poet, author, scholar, and activist for social change, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was the author of many bestselling books, including the classics Peace Is Every Step and The Art of Living. Through his books and retreats at the monasteries he has founded in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia, he became a pre-eminent figure in contemporary Buddhism, offering teachings that are both deeply rooted in ancient wisdom and accessible to all. 

Sister Chan Khong is Thich Nhat Hanh’s most senior monastic disciple and lifelong collaborator. A leading force in his engaged Buddhism programs and humanitarian projects, her books include Learning True Love and Beginning Anew.

Sister True Dedication is a former journalist and monastic Dharma Teacher ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh. 

Dr. Lilian Cheung is a lecturer and Director of Health Promotion and Communication at the Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition. She has been a co-investigator at Harvard Prevention Research Center on Nutrition and Physical Activity, which collaborates with community partners to design, implement and evaluate programs that improve nutrition and physical activity among children and youth. She is also the creator and editorial director of The Nutrition Source, the Harvard School of Public Health’s nutrition website for journalists, health professionals and consumers.