Distracted Eating

Confession time. I can eat a lot of junk food and not feel full. Thereby I eat a lot of dinner or whatever meal is next, and I might feel full. Part of the reason for this is that I don’t pay much attention to the fact that I am putting things into my mouth, chewing, and swallowing. I am too busy reading, watching videos, or reading, or plotting my next book. Distracted Eating can steal all the goodness from food.

Right now, I am eating an apple with some peanut butter. I attempt to stop every four bites and enjoy the crisp, juicy sweetness of the fruit with the smooth,creamy protein of the butter. It certainly helps to remind myself that I have had a wonderful mid-morning treat. And that there are so many things we can do to keep excess weight at bay.

The opposite of Distracted Eating is Mindful Eating. Being aware of every bite you eat can curtail snacking later on. Mindfulness is an entirely different way of life that includes meditation and purposeful actions. No more snackcidents when you stay aware of what your body says it needs and what your emotions want to indulge in. Things that will help you get to that point include eating slowly, taking at least 20 minutes or more to consume a meal. Put your fork or spoon down after each mouthful, and focus on what your mouth is enjoying. Did you make the meal? Congratulate yourself for doing this, and be thankful you have this skill.

Now you are changing why and how you eat. You are more Mindful than ever before. A craving may pop up in your daily routine, especially with Easter a week away. I know I won’t be getting a basket this year full of chocolate and hard boiled eggs, but friends were talking about Robin’s Eggs candy, one of my long time favorites. I indulged, I had some, I forgave myself, and now I am over that. Much as I love them, not just the taste, but the texture and gritty feel of them, I had more than enough. Next year maybe I will still remember that I didn’t want them so much after all.

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Mindfulness contributes to Self-Awareness. You know yourself, your weaknesses, your strengths, and all the ways you enjoy your life. You are able to forgive yourself easily because no one is perfect. You can get back on track and remember these things: 1. Eat slowly. Take time to eat a meal. 2. Put your utensils down after every bite. 3. Savor each mouthful fully. Avoid reading or watching something while you eat. 4. Be grateful for all of this learning.

This is a huge topic and I have only scratched a little bit of the surface. Some other topics you might be interest in include Mindless eating versus Distracted eating, Mindful doesn’t necessarily mean distraction-free, Six simple steps to increase Mindfulness, and Fun ways to practice Mindfulness. Honestly, taking a mindful shower sounds like fun!

I hope you found something of use to you in this blog. I know as a writer, Mindfulness can be troublesome when I want to dive into a character or world. But I can used these mindful tricks to make my characters more aware of their actions and surroundings. Thanks for reading, I’ll be back on Thursday.