Where do you eat your meals-including snacks

Hello,
I visited a very good Nutritionist before the holidays, at the end of last year. One of the "practices" she wanted me to change, was where I ate my meals. She said that all meals, including snacks should be eaten at a table(dinner, lunch, breakfast or kitchen bar)-somewhere specifically designated for eating.
Many of us, in fact most of us have developed a lifestyle of "on the run", even when we aren't really engaged in many activities. For example, we may have dinner tables in our home but chose to eat in front of the television or computer, instead. We may have time to eat our lunch at work, in the designated lunch area but chose to eat at our desks. Worse, when pressed for time, we plow through the drive-thru and eat our meal in our cars or while engaging in our next task (in class, at a meeting, on the sidelines of our kids' games). All of these secondary designations for eating, help contribute to poor eating habits.
I really think the Nutritionist really had something when she said to only eat at the table, or designated eating areas. What are your thoughts?
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I think more mindful eating is a good thing. But I think that mindful eating can take place in a variety of places, not just places that are specifically for eating.

    I usually eat breakfast at the kitchen counter, lunch at my desk (on workdays, anyway), and dinner on the couch.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
    If it works for you.

    I eat at my computer desk. I could eat upstairs at one of the tables, but then I'd have to deal with my ILs talking at me or critiquing my meals.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    I think your nutritionist has a point honestly.

    You appreciate your food way more if you're not multi tasking... I don't know about anyone else but I'm more likely to be satisfied with a smaller meal if I really take the time to enjoy my food, instead of mindlessly eating in front of the TV (which I've pretty much completely stopped doing).
  • viblanco
    viblanco Posts: 32 Member
    I eat Breakfast either at my desk or on the train during my commute. Lunch is usually sitting at my desk in front of my computer. Dinner is usually sitting down at the table.

    But in terms of snacks. I eat snacks anywhere. I walk and eat snacks. So it really depends. I think you can eat snacks anywhere. But your main meals probably are best consumed at a table.
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    I eat on the couch as I have no table. I don't think where you eat dictates how much you eat. If you have self control, eat only what you have served yourself, and stick to your daily calories, then you'll lose weight.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,879 Member
    I suppose the point would be more mindful eating...but really, I think it depends on the individual...it matters nothing for me. I'm mindful of my eating in that my meals and snacks are planned out and portioned out...it really doesn't matter that I eat at my desk or the break room or my dining room table, etc.

    Today for lunch I had some salmon and mushrooms with quinoa and 1/2 an avocado and 6 ounces of broccoli...I ate it at my desk because that's where I always eat lunch...pretty sure nothing about that meal would be different if I ate it in the break room. I eat at my desk because I use my lunch break to workout...so there has to be a trade off somewhere.

    Tonight for dinner I'm having roasted pork tenderloin and cauliflower soup...same deal...I don't know how eating that at my dinner table vs watching our favorite show while eating makes any difference.

    The only two places I will not eat are the bed and the car...'cuz gross in bed and I don't want a bunch of food and *kitten* in my car.

    I eat breakfast and lunch daily at my desk and have for years...I generally eat dinner with my wife while watching one of our shows...we only watch about 1/2 hour per night, so that's our little time to just deload the day with a funny show and enjoy a meal. Our meals are portioned out, so it's not like we're sitting there just mindlessly eating...every thing on the plate is properly portioned...so not sure what the issue would be.
  • shinycrazy
    shinycrazy Posts: 1,081 Member
    This isn't something I follow, but I can see it being helpful if you need to moderate your portions, which is hard to do in front of the tv. My family ate breakfast on Saturday at the table together for once in a blue moon and it was nice!
  • holdenmonty
    holdenmonty Posts: 17 Member
    That is an interesting idea. Being mindful about what you eat and where you eat. It is so true though my boys tend to throw a fit eating at the dinning room table because my wife enjoys eating on the couch in front of the tv but we have a little picnic table for our boys to eat at in front of the tv but we do tend to eat and snack there to. I think it is mainly about being mindful about what you are putting in your mouth instead of not paying attention as and just focusing on the fact that it's food.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    I always eat at my location. I have never eaten where I was not located. :)
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    edited February 2016
    Dinner almost always at the table as a family....my other meals and snacks? Im usually hiding in a corner of the kitchen eating as fast as I possibly can between shouts of "Mmmmooommm!" and shrieks of "I'm telling!".

    I have 4 kids, and I mostly stay at home (I work out of the house 2-3 days a month).

    My kids always eat breakfast at the table, and usually lunch too when they are at home. Snacks are eaten where ever....in their rooms, outside, in the car, in front of the tv...
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    I think it can be helpful for some people, particularly if the snacking is out of control.

    I eat my breakfast on the couch, my lunch at my desk, and dinner either on the couch again or sometimes standing the kitchen cooking something else for my husband. I haven't used the dinner table to eat at in months, I'm certain. It didn't affect my weight loss and doesn't affect my weight maintenance because I count my calories as accurately as possible and don't eat stuff without realizing it and factoring it into my day.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
    edited February 2016
    irshgrl500 wrote: »
    Hello,
    I visited a very good Nutritionist before the holidays, at the end of last year. One of the "practices" she wanted me to change, was where I ate my meals. She said that all meals, including snacks should be eaten at a table(dinner, lunch, breakfast or kitchen bar)-somewhere specifically designated for eating.
    Many of us, in fact most of us have developed a lifestyle of "on the run", even when we aren't really engaged in many activities. For example, we may have dinner tables in our home but chose to eat in front of the television or computer, instead. We may have time to eat our lunch at work, in the designated lunch area but chose to eat at our desks. Worse, when pressed for time, we plow through the drive-thru and eat our meal in our cars or while engaging in our next task (in class, at a meeting, on the sidelines of our kids' games). All of these secondary designations for eating, help contribute to poor eating habits.
    I really think the Nutritionist really had something when she said to only eat at the table, or designated eating areas. What are your thoughts?

    I think she has a good point. That said, as someone that has very VERY little time, I eat breakfast and lunch at my desk at work, and dinner usually in front of computer or tv. On the weekends, I eat at my kitchen counter, and lunch/dinner...depends on where I am. I never sit down to my dining room table anymore...not since my son left for college.
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 637 Member
    I go for a walk during my lunch break at work to get more exercise in and because I always pack my lunch for work I eat it at my desk afterwards.
  • I agree with her but I don't do it. I eat my breakfast in the car everyday. Eat lunch at my desk at work. Dinner at home at the table. Fudge pop in the bed.
  • Snchpnz2016
    Snchpnz2016 Posts: 5 Member
    I eat all of my meals standing next to the kitchen counter. The dining table is just a few steps away but I don't like sitting down. I've always eaten standing up too. Ever since I was a child. It used to drive my grandparents crazy but now I've sort of trained the rest of the family to do it too.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
    This is a bad habit for me, which has gotten worse since the kids grew and moved out...I eat ALL my meals from Monday to Friday at my desk, plus a couple snacks. Saturday hubs and I eat at the coffee table while watching Cops..lol..or hockey if the Leafs are playing :)
  • Owlfan88
    Owlfan88 Posts: 187 Member
    I eat all my meals at the table, usually just the kitchen table. The dining room table tends to be a catch all, but we do eat there for birthdays and holidays (and sometimes for a few weeks after). But I eat meals at the kitchen table even when it's just me at home. Snacks are anywhere. But I think there might be a point there - I would be less likely to just grab a few nuts or a piece of candy if I knew I was going to make myself go sit at the table to eat it. I know that my weight issues were predominantly unrestrained snacking.
  • veggiecanner
    veggiecanner Posts: 137 Member
    We sold our table years ao. The area i was in was too small. So we watch tv while we eat
  • irshgrl500
    irshgrl500 Posts: 28 Member
    I don't think where you eat dictates how much you eat. If you have self control, eat only what you have served yourself, and stick to your daily calories, then you'll lose weight.

    I can't say I agree with you; I think it does. Also, many of us have self control but that's not what overeating is about-solely having self control. If it were the "diet" industry wouldn't exist.
  • irshgrl500
    irshgrl500 Posts: 28 Member
    I agree with her but I don't do it. I eat my breakfast in the car everyday. Eat lunch at my desk at work. Dinner at home at the table. Fudge pop in the bed.

    Yes, I often eat my dinner on the way to work, in the evening. There really isn't time on our break, and I am usually bombarded with students asking questions. I won't get anytime to eat. It is hard.