If you are anything like me, you love to multitask and get numerous tasks done at once. It could be talking on the phone while making dinner, or a simple one we all fall victim too: eating on the go. I mean what could be better than killing two birds with one stone, and eating as you go to your next appointment? Well actually there are better things, like sitting down to enjoy your meal, so your brain is fully satisfied. Not only is eating as you walk completely uncomfortable, but it also has a negative effect on your waistline, as I will explain below.
The Negatives
When you are constantly going from one meeting to the next, or one activity to the next, you will pick up food items that are quick and convenient if you didn’t plan ahead. The quick fix of unhealthy foods on a regular basis could be a recipe for weight gain if you are not careful.
When you walk and eat, your brain has a hard time realizing it is getting food. Therefore, you are apt to over eat, as well as eat too fast. When moving, our brains are busy telling the body what to do, leaving thoughts on the food we are ingesting to slip our minds or just be thrown second in line. Your body will not take note to how much you have actually eaten while walking, and you are prone to overeating later on in the day due to your brain telling your stomach you need to actually sit down for a meal.
There are no positives sadly to eating on the go, other than the joy of multitasking. This bad habit will lead you to overeating later in the day, as well as confusing your brain and your body’s ability to separate exercise and mealtime. Next time you are in a hurry, try and take just a few moments to sit down and enjoy your food before getting up to walk again. Both your waistline, and your stomach will thank you later on in the day, when you are not overeating.