Distracted Eating

Have you ever launched into eating a plate or container of food while you were thinking about something else, such as watching a movie or talking on the phone and then looked down only to wonder what gnome or fairy came and stole your food?

This is distracted eating, which is defined as the intentional consumption of a meal while engaged in a secondary activity to the extent that the significance or memory of the meal is diminished or forgotten entirely.

While you will still receive the nutritional benefits of the meal, you may feel ripped off in that you didn’t really experience and enjoy the meal. This kind of eating can lead to overeating as you lose track of what you ate or eat more to get the same enjoyment. Consuming your meal in a more aware or mindful way will help you the next time. Artwork: Someone eating while doing something else.