Did I Just Eat THAT?!
Last week our son bit it riding his bike. Apparently his front wheel came off while he was jumping a puddle, and SPLAT! Down he went. Hand and face first. (Welcome to my world of 4 kids where there is SOMETHING every week… I know you can relate on some level.)
Seven stitches, a CT scan and a hand X-ray later, I asked, “What happened?! What do you remember?” He replied, “I don’t.” “All I know was I was jumping a puddle, and the next thing I know, someone was helping me up and had the front wheel with them.” Scratched up, but thankfully no broken bones and a normal CT scan, he looked at me blankly and shrugged his shoulders.
He doesn’t remember.
Kinda like when I eat while I’m distracted. Have you ever been there?
You put something on your plate. Or grab the bag or box of something YUM, and then you look back… and it’s gone.
Empty plate. Empty bag. Empty box. “Did I just eat THAT?!”
Uh, yes, I did.
And I don’t even remember it.
I didn’t taste it. I didn’t enjoy it. It’s just GONE.
We’ve all been there at some point. Whether you are watching television, a video on your phone, engaged in a business or personal conversation with someone, there are times when we don’t even recognize the food we are consuming. Or the amount.
So, here are my tips when you NOTICE that you didn’t notice what you just ate…
1) Portion it out. Use a container or small plate and put only the amount you are going to eat on it. This will help you control overeating and the guilt associated with it. At our house we have (unofficial) designated containers for snacks and desserts. This helps us portion our snacks and sugar appropriately.
2) Turn your device off. How long does it really take you to eat? Probably 10-20 minutes for most of us. Take that time to ENJOY your food. Savor the taste, your environment, and some time where your brain and body can relax and have a little down time.
3) Stop what you’re doing. The time you’re spending multi-tasking isn’t saving you time, it is diminishing the quality of how you’re spending your time. We weren’t made to do multiple things really well at the same time. It’s OK to take a break and just eat.
4) If you’re at an event- Sit/Stand away from the food tables. If the food is out of your reach, you won’t be popping finger foods into your mouth unconsciously as you listen to your co-worker’s vacation story. Instead you can enjoy the conversation and then, go over to the food table and choose the items you want to eat. (Or use it as an excuse to escape your co-worker’s story!)
5) If you can’t help but mix your eating with something else- Save your favorite item for last! So maybe you didn’t notice what you ate at the beginning, but at least you can ENJOY this last piece of tasty treat. Hold on to it until you can enjoy it. Or STOP just for that piece.
If you follow these tips, you’ll be more satisfied, prevent overeating, and improve the quality of your overall eating experience.
Keep moving!
Coach Priscilla
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