Day 3: Eat Sitting Down

I saw on an older post me speaking about my teenagers having bad manners at the table. Burping was just one of their bad habits and if I said anything about it they would only giggle. Well my kids have grown up and have lives of their own. One of them is married so I hope his table manners are better. My younger is still here and will be here with me as he is special needs and cant live on his own. Eating while sitting down has become easier since I am a single mom and can do things at my own speed and pace. I have over come some bad habits. still I have one new I've noticed. My sissy calls me everyday. I find myself eating out of bags and boxes as I talk. I made a card saying I will sit and eat every meal and snack I have. I've decorated the card to make it stand out.

Two solutions for me eating while talking to my sissy.

1. Have a snack for the specific time ready
2. Have a stick of gum or just a bottled water ready when she calls. I am still thinking how to over come this one.

Edited by: PURPOSEPOWER95 at: 2/4/2021 (19:42)

This is always a good reminder. I have found that sitting down is a gateway to mindful eating. It's usually easy to do as long as I am aware of it. (as opposed to e.g. dealing with hunger between meals). For the time being, I am going to add different dimensions of awareness as I go through the tasks for the Pink Book.

Advantages of losing weight/eating well
1- like the way I look - since I see myself in zoom on a regular basis:)
2- keep blood pressure healthy
3- keep blood sugar levels healthy
4 -be in touch with my own desire for food
5 -food awareness is an entry point in other kinds of awareness
a) simple steps such as eating sitting down will help me feel more in tune with my better self.

-

This is the 4th time I've read the Beck Pink book. Eating sitting down has become easier, except when I am preparing meals. For example; today I was making turkey rice soup with lots of vegetables, and I ate a few pieces of turkey as I was cutting it up.

Message Removed

Eating only while sitting down is challenging for me. I have made progress. When I do, it makes me feel positive and powerful and it increases my awareness of what I am eating and why. I have made a self-commitment to work on this important tool.

Day 3 Eat sitting down ~ notice every bite~ I'll be visually satisfied with less food by sitting at the table & limiting distractions. I'm taking pictures of meals and posting on Bitesnap.

I will never eat standing up, except tasting very small amounts when necessary while cooking. I have recently found myself starting to eat while plating up food and while carrying my plate of food to the table, which must now stop.

I don't have trouble with this any more.
I sit down when I eat 99% of the time.
I learned to enjoy my food more while sitting down.

sitting down to eat was a challenge initially ... but I've gotten used to it. I don't "pick" when I'm cooking like I used to. just a small taste for seasoning if need be.

I know when I'm playing the "omg, I'm stressed so I want to stuff my feelings" I purposefully will stand and snack. so, I remind myself that I am doing this because I want to cheat myself of a healthy body and life and I'll usually stop.

When I was first introduced to sitting down when I eat, I thought that I always sit down to eat. And then I started paying attention. While it is true that I sit to eat meals, I realized that I eat before I sit down and after I sit down. I nibble all the time. I nibble when I am cooking a meal, I nibble when I clean up from a meal. I grab something here and there. I need to be attentive and work on that.

My first thought: I hate this one!

It seems so so easy, but I really struggle.

I know it's related to mindfulness and there are times where I actively do sit down, but I forget so many times!

So, I know it is a good habit, but this is a tough one for me.

Sitting down to eat needs work as well as WHERE I'm eating. I sit most of the time to eat, but eat multiple places at home. I think at this point, WHERE I'm eating is more important than if I'm sitting down to eat at this point. I need to restrict myself to the dining room and living room only.

Read my flash cards twice today

Up until now, I ate a banana while standing. I will be more conscious as the day goes by and will be more conscious through this challenge.
Even if the food is already in my mouth, I will sit to swallow (in case I forget)

Day 3: Eat Sitting Down


Pink Book Day 3 - page 71
"Many dieters I've counseled have told me that learning to eat only when seated was the KEY to their SUCCESS at losing weight and maintaining the loss. It was crucial to my own success - also it was one of the hardest skills to incorporate into my own life." Judith Beck

So I think about trying to adopt the mind set, and given my black-and-white thinking, I resolve to only eat sitting down, no exceptions.

"now I eat almost everything sitting down except a few raw vegetables that I plan to eat while I am preparing dinner" Judith Beck

I eat carrots and drink kombucha while preparing dinner. I was going to stop doing this.



Now, my guideline is, I can pre-plan what I eat standing up and stick to that. My standing up pre-plan foods are - sampling food for seasoning adjustment while preparing meals, raw vegetables and kombucha while preparing dinner, low calorie drinks like water, tea, any time.

Edited by: JUNEPA at: 3/4/2020 (01:05)

I developed this habit during my first reading. It is automatic most of the time for me. On rare occasions I have had eaten a sample at Costco, so that still needs work. The other time I might eat standing is when I have been at a social gathering where people are standing around talking and having their drinks and snacks standing up, and there is nowhere to sit.

As others have said today this is a habit I still have since my first Pink reading. And like others I am also focusing on mindfulness when I am eating. I enjoy my meals more. And I am full sooner. Big change from finishing a meal and wondering what it was I ate.

I am okay with samples that fit my limits (not many do!) on weekends only; I will savor each taste.

This is my 3rd reading of the Beck pink book, and eating sitting down is relatively easy for me most of the time. It becomes challenging when I’m cooking (no tasting!) and when I’m with our granddaughter. I will work hard to be more mindful when I am with Aria.

Day 3 - eat sitting down. This is a very important reminder. This is not challenging for me, as long as everything else is going well.

However, I now realize that forgetting to eat sitting down is an important signal that I am about to get out of control in other ways - SO YES. I will consciously pay attention and make sure that I eat sitting down (along with reading my cards and other key activities).

This step, for me, is more about eating mindfully rather than where I am eating (though that is definitely part of it). Plus, it will show me the value of nourishing myself in a loving way. I will be like an honored guest in my home & sit down to enjoy every mouthful. After all, I want to be thinner more than I want to eat standing up.

Day 3: Eat Sitting Down

Frankly, this step was relatively easy for me - a skill I learned when I first started the Beck Diet method. Most of the time, I eat sitting down. There are a few exceptions that I need to work on. I tend to grab a fruit, apple or banana, and eat it while standing. I have to check that habit today. The other exception is I have a snack while hiking. This action is not an issue, in my opinion, as long as the food is accounted for in my diet.

DAY 3 Eat Sitting Down

I learned this lesson the first time I did Beck and I am still pretty good at it. But not perfect. I have let myself slide in some circumstances, but Beck is always talking in the back of my head - You should be sitting down to eat this! I have chosen to ignore that voice. Not any more. It is time to PAY ATTENTION!

To-Do List:
I read my ARC at least twice.
I read other RC as needed
I created a RC to encourage myself to sit while eating.
I created a reminder system so I'll remember to sit while eating.
I sat down when I ate - MOST OF THE TIME - I had a slip and ate an unplanned snack while lounging.

Note:

I seem to be having some sabotaging thoughts about making out these Response Cards because there gets to be a lot of them over time which is burdensome to always carry with me and shift through when I need them. I am going to write myself a RC to counter these thoughts!



Edited by: FUNLOVEN at: 3/4/2020 (09:57)

Day 3 Eat sitting down ~ notice every bite~ I'll be visually satisfied with less food by sitting at the table & limiting distractions.
I can track on paper at the table.
I do not eat in front of computer anymore
continue to work on Tv. One screen down & one to go!
Catch myself eating while standing drink
Re-commit - sit down - notice every bite!
1) Set spices on table then season food when I sit down. Eat small amounts till satisfied. Save rest for next mealtime, may freeze to avoid evening eating.

2) Avoid eating in cars and food samples. Carry water and celery sticks for strong cravings

3) Buy extra veggies while shopping if tempted by unplanned food. Put food in trunk. At home quickly put food away and wait till planned mealtime.


u.nu/vdj49 u.nu/5qvmq u.nu/teyoi
I have all these good habits. Need reminders when I slip.

Edited by: AURA18 at: 8/3/2020 (09:23)

This skill will be good for me. I will edit the post at the end of the day to select how I did.

Day 3 to do list:
x I read my Advantages Response Card at least twice
x I read other Response Cards as needed
x I created a response card to encourage myself to sit while eating
x I created a reminder system so I'll remember to sit while eating
x I sat down while I ate every time

Edited by: WALKMAMA at: 3/3/2020 (21:39)

Today is
Day 3: Eat Sitting Down

Eat Sitting Down - may sound easy, as most of us eat our meals sitting down.
But this chapter is about Not Eating Anything While Standing Up.
Instead, we should notice every bite we put in our mouth - and sit down to eat it.
First, to notice.
Second, to take our time and actually enjoy it.

What are you thinking?
Please share your thoughts here!

Day 3 to do list:
__ I read my Advantages Response Card at least twice
__ I read other Response Cards as needed -
__ I created a response card to encourage myself to sit while eating
__ I created a reminder system so I'll remember to sit while eating
__ I sat down while I ate
Every time / Most of the time / Some of the time

Personal note:
Reading my ARC twice daily and reading your posts makes me feel more focused, energetic and motivated.
Now I commit to Not Eat Anything Standing Up, not one single bite during this challenge.
If I can stick to this, I don't trigger a desire to overeat, and eating well is easier.


Edited by: KRISZTA11 at: 3/3/2020 (14:56)

Message Removed

I do eat sitting down (almost every time). I will make sure I do from now on.

Most of the time I do sit to eat. But I am on alert now, and going to sit for EVERY bite!

I do so well with this except the late night grab something and munch from the fridge.

I need to really think on what I can do to remedy this. I think planning for a snack as part of my every day, then sitting down to eat it will give me power back over the situation.

Edited: I just set my phone to remind me at 3pm, 7 pm and 10 pm to SIT TO EAT. I may need to adjust the times.

I already do it with my meals (well, I don't do it with my smoothie at noon, but I do when I have my snack/late lunch and supper). I think I just need to set a reminder to sit down and eat my late night snack. It may be an inconvenience and I will forego it, or as it becomes a part of my routine, then I will no longer be plagued by it because I'll be sitting down.

Edited by: THE_FAE at: 10/4/2019 (08:53)

I have actually mastered the art of sitting down to eat anything and everything. What I am still struggling with is "eating" as the only activity I will do per time. I mean eating without the TV, my phone, reading something etc.

I try to now enjoy my meal trying to taste everything in the food without rush and allowing my thoughts to surround the food I am eating.

Thank you for sharing your experience and insights about eating sitting down!

From now on, "I ate sitting down" will be part of the to do list at the end of each chapter, so we will be reminded every day - a great opportunity to build it up into a strong habit, that we do automatically, without much effort.


Edited by: KRISZTA11 at: 10/4/2019 (03:31)

This is hard to do with a small snack. I generally sit down to eat my meals, but to grab a spoonful of peanut butter and always sit to eat it is a tough one.

It was almost 10 o'clock this evening when I actually got to read the chapter. I thought back to what I had eaten during the day (all of it has been tracked) and thought I had done pretty well with sitting, even though I had eaten my lunch in the car. But then I realized that I put the almonds in my mouth while seated, but I actually chewed them up while standing. And then I recalled that, as I was fixing my lunch this morning before heading out to work, I had actually eaten a couple pieces of cheese while standing. Then I remembered, too, that as I peeled the boiled eggs that I prepped this evening, I actually ate one of those while standing. After I finished reading, but before I got to the SparkPeople page, I got up to turn off the slow cooker containing the salsa chicken that I had been cooking. I checked to see if it was done and if it was tender, and I found myself taking a bite of the chicken that had fallen away when I pierced it with the fork.

All these instances prove to me that I definitely need to break this habit! The reminder system might be harder for me. I have put an index card on the fridge that says "SIT TO EAT." But I'm not sure the fridge is the right place for it. I'll think about that more tomorrow, and see if I can't come up with either a better place for the sign or a different mechanism.

Day 3 - Eat sitting down

I did, but I wonder if eating in the car counts as eating sitting down, because I did that too.

Today's to-do list - workbook then book

-- I read my list of reasons to lose weight and the Do It Anyway card - I have copied the Do It Anyway card onto page 33 if the workbook, where I have ticked off my advantages/reasons for losing weight.
-- I ate everything sitting down.


-- I read my Advantages Response Card at least twice
-- I read other responses cards as needed - the Do It Anyway card
-- I created a Response Card so I'll remember to sit while eating -
------- it says I have a Bright Line against snacking, which helps with eating sitting down because I eat 3 meals a day, and 2/3 I eat with DH sitting down - these habits (no snacks, eating with DH) make always eating sitting down easier
-- I sat down while I ate - every time


History Lane
I remember on my first Beck Trek this was a very insightful day, I thought I ate sitting down but when I paid attention to everything that went into my mouth, I realized that I ate quite a lot of this and that during the day. This is one of the significant improvements in my eating habits, the mindfulness of paying attention to when and what I ate and the discipline of not eating if I wasn't sitting down.

Edited by: JUNEPA at: 10/5/2019 (02:00)

This is a tough one especially with needing to snack on breaks at work mid-morning and mid afternoon. I am sitting at my desk but that still feels like cheating. It's eating on the run.

I eat a quick high fibre cookie to avoid having anything messy. If I don't eat I get too hungry but going to the kitchen seems like a waste of time for such a quick snack.

I will try to do this more though because I am enjoying trying to be more mindful of my hunger level and fullness level.

To eat sitting down was one of my biggest challenges the first time around. It can still be a habit I slip out of now and then, and that's when my out-of-the-bag snacking can get me.

To take it to the next step - eat sitting at the dinner table is a big goal. Eating at my desk, or while watching the game, or even eating in the car (all technically sitting down) can be just as bad as eating standing up at times ... but that's for another day.

Day 3 Eat sitting down
This one is going to help me, especially in the evenings.

Day 3 Eat sitting Down

This is a great one to help me be aware of when I am eating. Cannot wait until the eat mindfully comes along because right now I am eating sitting down but my bowl of oatmeal is right next to my keyboard.

Time to log off the computer and go to the table... :-)

This is a really important one for me. I feel like it's easy to sneak extra calories in because I'm not being mindfu if I don't sit down and pay attention.l. Last night I had a small snack. when I sat down and focused on each bite I was very mindful and didn't over do it.

Being single I have wandered away from this one, but realized the importance. I cleared the counter where I sit, polished the granite to make it pretty. I occasionally purchase flowers to have something pretty to view while I eat, currently my orchids are in full bloom so I have them. I have a pretty place mat but might just run out to home goods and pick a new one. Susn_CDN, I too have given up the free nibbles at Costco. It's so of a trigger.

Edited by: BCHARIE at: 10/3/2019 (09:57)

Thanks to previous group readings, sitting down to eat has become an automatic habit. I agree that sitting down and seeing your food in front of you and eating it mindfully gives you a noticeable feeling of satisfaction that carries you over to the next meal much better than mindless eating. I no longer allow myself to have any samples when I go to Costco.

I wrote my card today about the importance of eating sitting down. I especially like when Beck mentions you need to see all of your food in front of you so you can be psychologically satisfied.
It says to me, you are going to have all of this in your stomach and it is enough for you. It is the correct portion. Eating food standing up doesn't give me this satisfaction. Sitting down helps me to relax and enjoy what I am eating.

Today is
Day 3: Eat Sitting Down

Eat Sitting Down - may sound easy, as most of us eat our meals sitting down.
But this chapter is about Not Eating Anything While Standing Up.
Instead, we should notice every bite we put in our mouth - and sit down to eat it.
First, to notice.
Second, to take our time and actually enjoy it.

What are you thinking?
Please share your thoughts here - sabotaging thoughts included!

Day 3 to do list:
__ I read my Advantages Response Card at least twice
__ I read other Response Cards as needed
__ I created a response card to encourage myself to sit while eating
__ I created a reminder system so I'll remember to sit while eating
__ I sat down while I ate
Every time / Most of the time / Some of the time

Personal note: when I read this chapter first, it was a true eye opener for me.
I was totally unaware of my habit of eating standing up... and that was a big elephant in the room: 3-500 extra calories, on a good day when I did not binge.
No wonder I didn't understand why my weight kept creeping up.
So, I'm 100% convinced that yes, I really need to sit down to eat every bite, and I need to see all my food spread out in front of me.
As long as I do, dieting is easy.
As soon as I give myself permission to eat a few bites standing, dieting becomes a struggle.
Sabotaging thoughts? after doing well for several months, I get cocky and imagine I can handle a few bites standing up, "it's just a little fruit / a little leftover food / I'm so hungry /I'm so upset"... so I will eat this one bite and it will not matter.

Edited by: KRISZTA11 at: 10/3/2019 (04:00)

Eating only while sitting continues to be very challenging for me. I have made some progress. I no longer take food samples. Resisting them makes me feel positive and powerful over my food choices in public. The practice of doing this at home is harder but has benefited me because it has increased my awareness of what I am eating and why.

This is a really good one. I was doing very well for many months. As I think about it "grazing" opened the door to other bad habits and I recently got totally off-track - over-eating in ways that I hadn't for a long time. So being aware of when and where I'm eating is definitely an excellent starting place for getting everything in place again.

It was drilled in to me: only animals eat standing up. I was back-talked and said I am not a vegetable nor a mineral, so I'm an animal. Was told that I am a mammal and sit down!

It is great when new habits are strong enough, and start to work for us - instead of having to work on building them.



Edited by: KRISZTA11 at: 4/21/2019 (02:30)

Message Removed

I think you and I are on much the same page, Kari.

I also have to be careful when I'm preparing food I taste it and I don't want to overeat that way. It is very easy to forget I ate something if I am just in the kitchen preparing food and not sitting at the table. I also have to be very careful to record the food in my Nutrition tracker as soon as possible after I eat if I haven't already before I ate.

I eat my meals sitting down at least 95% of the time. One exception is if I'm running errands, or when I'm late for a meal, and I eat my lunch while driving. I eat exactly the same thing I would if I ate at home, but eat in the car to save time.

Where I have to be careful is when I'm preparing food, putting cookies on a plate or getting a snack for my granddaughter. It's very tempting to have "just one" for me. I need to plan these snacks, and sit down to enjoy them.

I'm still fighting with day 3, so I wrote a Response Card to the sabotaging thought: Is it really so important to sit down while eating? Isn't it the exact same thing to eat standing up?

My helpful repsonse is about being more mindful when eating sitting down, therefore savouring the food more, feeling fuller at the end of a meal and deacreasing the chances of going back for seconds

I am pretty good at this one, but I do taste test while standing. I will not taste test. I wrote a card to remind myself of not to taste test. It will be a surprise! :-)

Day 3 - I had no idea how much I eat while standing up! Because of Day 3, I became aware of what was going in my mouth. This was an eyeopener for me. I will have to work on this and conquer the habit of tossing things in my mouth. I guess I thought it was ok because they are usually healthy things (raspberry this morning.)

Every bite of food I put in my mouth matters. Every bite has calories. Every bite I eat standing up makes me less satisfied when I actually sit down to eat because I have used up so many allotted calories.

This is something that can really make a difference for me as I work to reach my goals.

Edited by: GINTEX at: 3/4/2019 (07:57)

Day 3 is a hard one for me. Just today I ate a banana while preparing lunch for my girls (ages 3 and 5), and then later snacked on raw baby carrots while preparing their dinner. Part of my routine is to measure out all of my food and write it down before I take a bite (it keeps me honest), but I still eat standing sometimes because I rationalize that I don't have time to sit and eat properly.

Ruth, thanks for the reminder! One of my Helpful Responses is to remember that eating while sitting and being more mindful helps me feel psychologically satisfied, not just physically full. For if my overeating & binge habit were purely physical I wouldn't struggle with controlling it as much as I do.

Costco samples don't call to me anymore because I don't like to give up the time it takes to stop shopping and eat. Plus, I've looked at the calorie estimates on Lose It...there are several estimates for a round of Costco food samples and they are all appalling.

Edited by: WHATSASIZE8 at: 3/4/2019 (01:01)

Well, I'm to the point of eating MEALS sitting down, but I still have the snacking habit to break. I've discovered that when I get bored I head for the kitchen. Now I'm trying to head to the mudroom to change shoes and go for a walk.

I don't have a problem with samples because I shop early (usually around 10 am) and the sample people either haven't arrived or are still setting up.

Day 3 Eat Sitting Down

The last time I worked through Beck I realized I had a habit of tasting while I was cooking. So now I give that chore to someone else in the house, or just served food without tasting it. Then I make adjustments.

I have never been one that liked to eat handouts at the store very much, so no problem there. So this is a pretty easy step for me to accomplish.

I think the one bad habit that I have had in the past is to eat a snack in bed. There is no good reason to do this. I don't have any belief around it other than it is comfortable. So no more eating in bed!

Day 3 Eat sitting down ~ notice every tiny bite ~
I'll be visually satisfied with less food * Limit distractions
* Start hungry * Stop Full * Chew slowly * Pause - put down fork or spoon
Mindful eating u.nu/qo9t u.nu/rz2s

I enjoyed LIfechangz' post very much. The statement about becoming aware of exactly what you are putting in your mouth holds true. Not sitting down - it's easy to be eating on the run and not really paying attention. Eating needs to be given proper attention or we forget we have done it.

Sitting down to eat is one good rule that I can do. No exceptions!

Oh my, this is hard for me.
I eat part of my breakfast standing.
I have a snack after my workout (1/2 apple and small piece of cheese) in the car on the way home from the gym, But I savor every juicy, tasty bite.
I often eat lunch (usually raw veggies and some hummus or tuna) standing.
At least I ALWAYS sit down for dinner, and since dinner is when I tend to overeat, that is helpful.

Baby steps here. For the balance of today I will not eat unless I am sitting down. Tomorrow I will sit down when I eat breakfast. I will TRY to sit down for lunch, and I know I'll sit for dinner. It's a start!

I do sit down to eat and I do eat from a dish, never straight out of the bag unless it is 1 serving.

98% of the time, I am eating while sitting.
As a family we eat our meals traditionally at the table.
Cooking and prepping is my weakness. Most of the time I am pretty good about not sampling but it is hard not to do it when making soups and sauces.
I am also bad about crunching on raw veggies while prepping.
No eating in my car!!!
No sampling at grocery. In all fairness, I live in the backwoods and there is no samples at the little store I shop at, so no temptation!!!


Jewels, I think we do deserve credit for every positive diet behavior .
It is hard work, but we are worth it!!

My inner two year needs to be read your ARC card daily!

I really agree with Beck where she says that most of the eating folks do while standing up, is impulse eating. The urge to eat, unplanned eating, "just a little won't hurt" eating.

Looking back, I can see how a lot of my overeating started with impulse eating-- standing up. A bite of leftover pie or cake as I passed through the kitchen on my way to do laundry. A couple cookies. Just a handful of chips or nuts or a spoonful of the ice cream DH left on the counter, softening up a little before he ate it. The samples at Sam's that certainly didn't hardly feel like they ought to count-- besides, I was walking around the store, so that should mitigate the damage some-- right?

It gets more complicated than just a bite or handful or spoonful, though, for me. If I was dieting to lose weight, just giving in to that urge and eating that bite, that handful, that spoonful-- well, I'd gone off my plan, hadn't I? Then the sabotaging thoughts of-- you've blown it, might as well eat everything you can think of and start your diet fresh tomorrow or next Monday or the first of next month-- would start. It could easily become an eat-a-rama. Even if it didn't-- it wasn't helping my weight loss efforts. And just a few hundred extra calories a day, can add up to pounds in weight gain in a year.

And then she talks about being psychologically satisfied when we sit down to eat. Making the most of every bite. Sometimes, I'll be really hungry by lunchtime. I fix my plate, usually including a large portion of cut up raw vegetables. And because I'm hungry, and I'm going to eat them anyway, I have the urge to start eating them while I'm still heating up whatever my "protein" portion is that day. Calorie-wise, it doesn't matter whether I eat them while I'm standing there waiting on the microwave. But I know I'll be more psychologically satisfied if the pile is bigger when I sit down and survey my plate. So I wait.

The hardest thing about "sit down to eat" for me, was giving up the samples at the grocery store. We do not often hit the store at sample time, so it seemed like I was really giving up a treat, a splurge. My way of eating allows for treats and splurges, so this seemed kind of unfair. But the reasoning behind it makes so much sense, that I do it anyway. I'd like to be able to say that I can always breeze past the samples without a second thought, but that's not true. Usually I pop a stick of gum in my mouth before we enter the store, and make an effort to not even look at whatever they're handing out or make eye contact with the server. If they ask if I want some, I just say "no thanks, I'm good". I've got a plan for sitting down to eat, and I'm choosing to stick to that plan.

This statement sounded odd to me at first. Why wouldn't one sit down to eat? Of course, I'd sit down to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And then I remembered a giant charcuterie plate from last Fridays party and a piece of fruit or veggie here and there.

Now I'm going to work on NEVER eating standing up, rather than sitting down for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Beck day 3 ~ Eat Sitting down
"You absolutely need to become more conscious of everything you put in your mouth" pg 70

a few years ago, I was surprised when I sampled all the yummies at the store the Friday before Super Bowl Sunday! tried to track it after I got home and my eyes were wide open when the estimated bites from memory tracked over 1000 calories! I had eaten a huge portion of my whole day's food... just going from bite to bite sampling the food ~ it was YUMMY ~ there were some I had 2nds, even thirds or a good bite of each flavor...

yowser….. those little nibbles do add up...

does this idea help me ~ what is the underlying idea that is helpful?

I don't mean to be a contrarian, but on it's face... a rule to always eat sitting down always seems arbritrary to me and not something I even want to do... the thought triggers rebellion in me, like all fad/crash/diet arbitrary rules... and this is one that I would not adopt as an outright rule...

INSTEAD.... IS there a HELPFUL IDEA in this for me...

the underlying idea here, for me is actually to notice the foods we choose to eat... It helps us enjoy the food and feel satisfied... I couldn't agree more, I find it does help me to feel satisfied when I pause to enjoy the taste, smell, texture, color, warmth/chillness of the food... in a pleasureable kind of way ~ like feeling the sun streaming on the face or smelling a rose



if the new2me goal is to eat enough, not too much ~ then it helps me to figure out my why's, wheres & what nots of choosing the foods I do eat... should I eat this, now, why am I eating it... most meals/snacks I do sit down and eat... I try not to eat in-between those regular food eatings….

and other times, I might choose to eat in other ways ~ but paying attention to the eating, for pleasure but also to eat enough but not too much... and when it's special... that is an idea that helps me sort my choices and choose ways that are nourishing, physically and emotionally :)



I also like that Beck helps us work through our sabotaging thoughts.... 1 of my most frequent struggles is eating enough and stopping at enough instead of eating more... especially when it's free and available and fun ~ think buffets or all those yummy food samples at the store... or heck... making up foods for a party or even just prepping and cooking foods for meals at home...

so 1 of my sabotaging thoughts & ARCs goes kinda like this...



Edited by: CD14456645 at: 3/3/2019 (12:31)

This is my 3rd group reading. I mastered eating sitting down during my 1st group reading and it is now automatic. Not a bite goes in my mouth unless I’m sitting down. It wasn’t easy at first. I don’t know how many times I realized I was starting to eat something while standing up. I think it was because I was multi-tasking or because I wasn’t used to taking the time to go and sit down to eat one taste of something. And I used to try just about all the samples at Costco. But I made a real effort to be aware because I realized that eating standing up led to mindless eating, and eating sitting down led to more satisfaction. I don’t even try one sample when I go to Costco now....if I can’t sit down, I can’t eat.

This is so so so hard for me! I always thought I was a person that only ate sitting down, but now I know it's not true at all. I tend to eat while prepping food and all of my snacks are on the go. Eating like this doesn't make a lot of sense because when I sit down I am more mindful of what I'm doing and it feels like the food has a more intense taste, which led me to feel me more satisfied in the end. So why do I still tend to eat while standing up in so many occasions?!?

Even today, right after reading day 3, I ended up munching some of the apple I was cutting into cubes for my breakfast!
I was able to stop myself after the first bite of orange this afternoon and I went sit down to enjoy the rest of it in a proper way.

From today on, I'm going to put some extra attention on this and I hope that in a short while I'll be able to eat all my food sitting down!

I have made it a priority to sit down to eat. even a mandarin.

I pick a plate or bowl, a cloth napkin (I always use cloth) and I set a place.
I wash a few more dishes, but it's really setting up a mindfulness to me to consider what I'm putting in my mouth.

and cooking ... omg. I love sampling when cooking because i'm such a good cook. haha. so now I am not sampling. I will taste a tiny bit to adjust seasoning. that's all.

I plan to notice more if I am eating bites here and there. Right now I don't think so, but promise to be more mindful of that.

To piggy back on Kriszta's advice on posting links, start with the "www" part of your link, not the "https" part of it. Hey you guys, you're writing HTML!

Here are my Day 3 observations - I also use a dish, and avoid standing OR lying down. Sitting means sitting.
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_jo
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nal_individual.asp?blog_id=6571971

Edited by: KBEHNKE81 at: 3/3/2019 (09:51)

I so agree with you Barb that this is hard to accomplish. Eating only while sitting continues to be a challenging rule for me. I have been attacking it in stages.

First step, No food samples ever and I believe this is an ingrained habit now. I really resisted this rule. I said, "no way" because I did not want to give up my beloved food samples. When tempted now I think thoughts like where has that food been and that stops me cold. Also I give myself credit and I think about how thankful I am for the countless calories that have been saved.

Step two, I committed to eating only veggies and small tastes as I cooked. I did okay for awhile but I've had some major slip ups. Kriszta's advice of awareness is right on and I continue work on this and to improve. I regularly stop myself now and even take food out of mouth. (sorry if tmi) Again, giving myself lots of credit and feeling more and more in control by using the strategy of being thankful for the calories saved. So far it's working.

I admire people who can easily follow rules like this because they know they are right and that they work. I realize how much of a rebel I really am. I need constant reminders, practice and reinforcement of good habits. Kriszta, thank you again for repeating this study.

This is hard to accomplish! I think, like Kriszta mentioned, it's a matter of awareness. At home, I find myself eating bits here and there: crackers out of the cupboard, an orange from the counter.

At work, I time my lunch to this cutie who eats outside of her stall then goes in to get her hay (she bunks in with another horse):

So I found myself yesterday walking around with a sandwich in my hands letting her in then decided there were a few more things I could do one-handed, all the while eating.

I'm going to make a dedicated effort to be more aware of what I'm doing (and take action).

Hi team, today is
Day 3: Eat Sitting Down

Eat Sitting Down - may sound easy, as most of us eat our meals sitting down.
But this chapter is about Not Eating Anything While Standing Up - that's more difficult, isn't it?
Instead, we should notice every bite we put in our mouth - and sit down to eat it.
First, to notice, rather than pretending it doesn't matter.
Second, to take our time and actually enjoy it.
Please share your thoughts (or link to your blog) on this thread!

At my first reading, Eating Sitting Down made a huge change in my eating behaviors.
It made me realize how much I used to eat standing up, and that almost ALL my overeating was done standing up, or it started with eating a few bites standing up.
Now I'm strongly committed to my habit of Never Eat Standing Up, because it helps me automatize decisions about food.
Am I standing up? Yes? then I'm not going to eat (...this bite of bread... nor lick that spoon)

Note: If you wrote a blog and want to post the link here, but the "Add a Link" button is not working properly, you can do it easily by pasting the copied link between these characters:




Edited by: KRISZTA11 at: 3/3/2019 (05:04)

I eat sitting down to avoid snacking.

It is a lot harder than seems it should be, and makes for mindful eating - helps avoid distracted eating and calorie accumulations that we forget about, but that our body of course doesn't.

I can refrain from eating standing up fairly easily any time of the day except between 4 and 6 pm

My hungriest time of the day is just before supper, and as I am the cook most days, my exception to eating sitting down is than I drink low calorie drinks( kombucha, bone broth, lemon water with cayenne pepper, non-sweetened herbal tea, water) and eat raw veggies while preparing supper. This helps me hydrate and feel full by the time I finish supper and I believe it is a healthy habit.
.

Edited by: JUNEPA at: 3/3/2019 (10:40)

Great observation!
Sounds easy but actually it is a big change for most of us.

I got this! No problem!
Nah.

This is harder than I thought. Even as I"m serving my plate, I grab something off it and put in my mouth from stove to table. Sheesh.
I am posting this as I"m on Day 5 and still being challenged with Day 3. So combining days 3 and 5 should be good to practice.

I agree ~ it so helps to notice, smell, taste and enjoy our food... I can't tell you how many times I'd reach for more and it was already gone! I generally am not eating alone and sometimes not sitting, and that's ok... I do make an effort to pause and focus on the food. I find that being conscious of our choices and actually eating the food is so much more satisfying!

Edited by: AURA18 at: 3/3/2020 (08:00)

on resisting the samples at the supermarket!

I totally love the reminder of this very simple, yet difficult to concept challenge!
Today I had read the note early on, but didnt have a chance to read the full chapter until later in the evening. Thankfully, just reading the title sparked my memory, and I was very good! There were even samples at the supermarket (CHIPS AND SALSA- MY FAV) and I resisted. I knew I was going to have a cup of soup and half a sandwich at home, and I stuck to it!

Congrats to your progress!


It is great you discovered immediately the importance of those bites eaten standing up.

So when I first read the title of this day - I thought "I rarely stand while eating- this won't be a problem for me". But as I looked further into- I realized this is all that mindless snacking I do- grabbing a candy or a cookie at the nurses' station, a fry off my daughter's plate. It made perfect sense! This really helped over the holiday as I was at my grandmother's as she has candy out everywhere! I wasn't perfect- but I was better.