Watching TV while eating

amandaeve

I like to focus on my food. Eating is one of my most favorite activities and I'd really like to savor it. Plus, I think being mindful helps me with portion control. My bf prefers to watch TV with dinner. I didn't own a TV before living with him, so I am totally absorbed by it. We live in a small place and our only seating faces the TV, no table. I've been trying to figure out how to savor my food more. I've tried to ignore the show, and tried watching shorter shows. But neither worked well. Do you think the TV really impacts how well you can focus on eating, or am I using it as an excuse?

HDBKLM

I can only give an unscientific reply (though I suspect there is scientific information out there about this, so maybe have a look if you're really interested) so take the following with a grain of salt, but I'd say that watching TV while eating a meal does foster mindlessness. That's not quite the same thing as saying watching TV while eating makes one fat of course; I mean to say it would require more of a concerted effort to keep track of what you're eating when there's another distraction in the room.

Also unscientific but I always noticed on reality shows about overweight people like Secret Eaters, My 600-lb. Life, etc. that when the cameras follow these people around at home they and their families universally seem to sit down in a big comfy seat in front of the TV with a heaping plate and just start shovelling it in while staring straight forward at the screen. It certainly LOOKS like I'm watching mindless eating happen.

FYI, if I'm eating at home alone I also eat in front of the screen, but my partner and I do not when we're eating together.

TavistockToad

amandaeve wrote: »

I like to focus on my food. Eating is one of my most favorite activities and I'd really like to savor it. Plus, I think being mindful helps me with portion control. My bf prefers to watch TV with dinner. I didn't own a TV before living with him, so I am totally absorbed by it. We live in a small place and our only seating faces the TV, no table. I've been trying to figure out how to savor my food more. I've tried to ignore the show, and tried watching shorter shows. But neither worked well. Do you think the TV really impacts how well you can focus on eating, or am I using it as an excuse?

Can you alternate tv days with non tv days when you eat together?

gingerdonalds

You have a good point that I honestly never thought about before. I will have to stop eating in front of the tv too and see if it makes a difference.