Woman preparing a healthy meal in her kitchen

Diet Tip: Eat at the Table, Not the Couch (Mindful Eating Basics)

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Quick summary

  • Distracted eating (TV, phone, computer) is linked with eating more, both during the meal and later.
  • Paying attention to your food helps you notice fullness and remember what you ate.
  • Eating slowly can reduce how much you eat at a meal.
  • Start small: one screen-free meal a day at the table.

It sounds almost too simple, but where and how you eat affects how much you eat. That’s why one of our favorite tips is: eat at the table, not on the couch.

What the research says

Distraction makes us eat more

A 2013 systematic review and meta-analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by Eric Robinson and colleagues looked at 24 studies. Eating while distracted, for example watching TV or playing a game, led people to eat more at that meal and also more later in the day. Paying attention to a meal was linked with eating less afterward.

One likely reason is memory. If you don’t really notice your meal, you don’t remember it well, so you feel hungry sooner.

Eating on the go leads to more snacking

A 2015 study in the Journal of Health Psychology by Jane Ogden and colleagues found that women who ate a snack while walking around ate more chocolate in a later taste test than those who ate the same snack sitting down.

Slowing down helps

A small 2008 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association by Ana Andrade and colleagues found that when women ate a meal slowly, they ate fewer calories and felt more satisfied than when they ate the same meal quickly.

What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating simply means paying attention while you eat: noticing the taste, smell and texture of food and your body’s hunger and fullness signals, without judgment. It isn’t a diet; it’s a way of eating any food.

8 simple mindful-eating habits

  1. Sit down at a table for meals and snacks, even if you’re alone.
  2. Put the phone away and turn off the TV. Start with just one screen-free meal a day.
  3. Serve a portion onto a plate instead of eating from the bag or container.
  4. Take your time. Aim for meals to last at least 15–20 minutes. Put your fork down between bites.
  5. Check in halfway. Ask yourself: How hungry am I now, on a scale from 1 to 10?
  6. Stop at comfortably satisfied, not stuffed. You can always have more later.
  7. Notice your triggers. Are you eating because you’re hungry, or bored, stressed or tired?
  8. Enjoy it. Taste matters. Savoring food helps you feel satisfied with less.

Make your environment do the work

  • Keep tempting snacks out of sight; put fruit on the counter.
  • Use smaller plates and bowls.
  • Make the kitchen table a pleasant place to eat, with no laptops or mail piles.
  • Eat with family when you can. Conversation naturally slows the pace.

The bottom line

You don’t need willpower to eat less if your setup helps you notice what you’re eating. Sit down, slow down and put the screen away.

This article expands on a tip from our Instagram series. Follow @fastweightlossdietplan for a new tip every week.

Sources

This article is for general education and isn’t medical advice. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet or exercise routine, especially if you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication. See our Medical Disclaimer.

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