It becomes easy to forget how much food you're putting into your mouth when you're eating in front of the TV.
When you open a block of chocolate and start eating at what point is "just one more piece" too much?
It's often overlooked but no matter how good your meal is, you only get to enjoy the taste for a moment, then you're left with the lasting effects of the food on your body. If you choose the right food you might be energised and invigorated but choose the wrong food and you'll feel lethargic and slugish. Both types of food are satisfying to eat however the consequences of processed junk food vs whole foods make it obvious which we should choose. The convience of junk food, the mindlessness is far easier than preparing a healthy meal at home.
People ruin their lives for these fleeting moments of pleasure
Fleeting moments of pleasure become a daily dependence. Chocolate and sugar drinks started out as a treat but after a week of consuming them daily they seem like an acceptable reward for a days work.
5 minutes of tantalizing tastebud tickling might require an hour of intense exercise to reverse the negative effects.
One night of bliss with a new partner might ruin marriages and childhoods, leading to divorce and years of child support payments.
Was that momentary pleasure worth it?
Mindful eating. You don't have to eat everything on your plate.
I love eating chocolate. I eat it more often than I should but I try to monitor how much eat. I take a small nibble of high quality chocolate and leave it to sit in my mouth whilst it melts and I savour the taste. I try to actually enjoy the taste and texture, be present in the experience, rather than stuffing my mouth and mindlessly eating.
It's difficult to eat mindfully, to notice when you're feeling full, when eating becomes a passive activity. You're watching TV, surfing the net, chatting with friends, the food goes from your plate into your mouth but you don't really think about it. It tastes good but you're not present, not experiencing the full experience of the meal because you're distracted by whatever else you're doing.
If you have the time to sit down and eat a meal, mindfully paying attention to smell, to the texture and taste as you slowly chew and savour each mouthful you'll consume far less yet feel far more satisfied.
I grew up in a household were we weren't allowed to leave the dinner table until everything on our plate had been eaten. As I grew older I realised it's not necessary to eat until I can no longer eat any more. It's fine to stop when you first start feeling full or bloated, no need to overdo it.
Now I tend to prefer a lifestyle of grazing rather than sitting down for 3 meals a day. Especially when eating keto I can enjoy a handful of nuts or some cheese and then go about my day without thinking of food.
