How Do I Eat Without Netflix : Mindful Eating & Other Things

It’s been a long day, you’re tired after work and need some down-time before bed. You also want to get in enough sleep so combining Netflix with dinner seems like a good idea. And before you know it, your life is a cyle of making time for your favourite shows, smartphone notifications, and the hustle and bustle of work, and you’re often wolfing down your meals without even realising what you're eating.

But what would happen if you ate mindfully and put down your remote for a day?

You notice where you’re eating
You wake up and get ready for work. You get cooking in the kitchen and realise you only have an hour before you have to rush to work. “Cereal it is, then”. The first thing that you notice while eating mindfully is the space where you’ve been conusming your meals. “Ah, the dusty old dining table”. You take it upon yourself to clear the clutter, turn off the TV, put your phone on silent, and find a quiet, peaceful spot to enjoy your meal. You realise you’ve been eating strawberry-flavoured cereal without even realising it.

You connect with your food

It’s dinnertime. Lunch was spent complaining about the terrible quality of office food. You don’t want to settle for less, so you decide to prep mindfully for dinner. Even though it’s just you, you take the time to set your table, lay out your utensils, and arrange your meal beautifully. “I deserve to be treated well”. You pour yourself a glass of wine, put on some music and start cooking, and eventually settle down with your plate to savour all the work you put into the meal.

You notice what you’re eating

As you are enjoying your meal, you try to chew your food thoroughly. It isn’t easy, you’re probably bored by the second bite and are thinking aout that last episode that was left on a cliffhanger. “No, savour each bite!”. You try to pay attention to the texture, taste, and aroma of your meal. Before you know it, you’re done. You realise that your regular eating portions now have leftovers. “Was portion control always that easy?”

You connect with people

Eating mindfully on your own can be daunting at times. You decide to call your friend over for dinner. They join you in your cooking adventures and mess up your entire recipe. You start again. This time, after pouring them a glass of wine, you start cooking together. You catch up on each other’s lives, wondering when was the last time you’d updated each other without the distraction of notifications or the sound of the TV in the background. You talk about TV shows, travels and relationships. “Maybe we should do this more often”. We agree, you should!

You understand portion control

It’s been a few weeks and you’re getting used to the body’s rhythm and rhyme. Your eating schedule has improved, your hunger and satiation cues are stronger and you know what your body needs. You plan tasty meals that keep your energy levels high throughout the day. You don’t compromise on nutrition and you try not to overeat (unless it’s tasty). However, without the distraction of Netflix and meetings, you realise you rarely do.

In a world where multitasking is king, it's essential to carve out time for mindful eating. It's not just about feeding your body; it's about feeding your soul too. So, the next time you sit down to eat, make it an occasion to remember. Put away the screens, engage your senses, savour your connections and relish every bite.