There’s one thing that we all do multiple times everyday and hardly ever think about: eating. We talk to our friends, look at our phones, and think about what we’re doing after the meal is over. We hardly ever sit there and think specifically about the food that’s going into our bodies!
I was a college student, I know how it goes. Whip up the quickest, cheapest thing possible to and then plop down in front of the computer screen to enjoy a good Netflix session. Now that everyone is quarantined inside for the next few weeks (hopefully it’s only weeks!), it’s so easy to gravitate towards a TV dinner. I am most definitely included in that ‘everyone’ category.
Instead of looking at my phone or having my mind drift off somewhere else, I’ve been trying to eat my meals lately without any distractions. No phone, no computer, no TV – just being entirely present as I eat – all the different aspects of my food.
Not just the taste, but the texture of the food. Is it soft or hard, grainy or smooth? Does it take a lot of effort to chew, like pork, or does it melt in your mouth, like ice cream? How does it feel on my tongue?
I also find that a lot of the time my mind tends to focus on how much food is left. ‘Wow, this tastes so good, but I’m already halfway done.’ It really takes away from enjoying the food, so I’ve just been trying to focus on every bite as it happens.
Eating without any distractions has also made me much more aware of how full I’m feeling. When we eat in front of screen, I’m focused on what’s in front of me, not the food I’m eating. With each bite I notice how full I feel, and can make a better decision about when I’m feeling full or not.
It seems like a really simple task, but you’d be surprised just how often your mind wanders during the course of a meal, even when all screens are put away. I really think that everyone should turn all of their attention towards their meals when their eating to see how it impacts them. Give it a try!