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I Eat How I Live My Life

I was in the middle of a chew when I realized just how much food I had in my mouth. My cheeks were stretched. My tongue fought for air in a dark corner. I realized, as well, that I hadn’t been chewing nearly as much as the chew your food people recommend. The uncomfortable succession of hard lumps going down my throat told me that. I looked at my plate and realized that I wasn’t even halfway done.

And why is it anyway that I can’t pick up one kernel of popcorn at a time? Why should I take a handful when the bowl is right there next to me? Won’t it burn more calories if I spend the energy to collect one at a time?

The way I eat my food is the way I live my life. I take on a bunch of stuff, never focusing on one at a time. Even if the others can wait, I want them close to me, in my hand, lest they go stale or someone else grabs them first. I take great big spoonfuls. There’s so much I love to consume, yet my resources are limited, and that makes me uncomfortable. There isn’t time, but there is. There is time. I need to make it. So the making of time is the chewing. I won’t swallow too early because something else has got my attention, like the next bit of food. I’ll take the time with the things I love, set priorities, cultivate focus and presence.

How do you eat, and how does it reflect how you live? If you’d like to nibble on this topic, comment down below!

35 thoughts on “I Eat How I Live My Life”

  2. I have never thought about it before, but I don’t really think it defines you 🙂 I’m the same way though – I’ll shovel a whole fist full of popcorn in my mouth and be reaching for the next. Hold on a second, you might be on to something here – that does have some correlation to life. I seem to never be completely satisfied with my life; always looking for the next adventure, good time, or whatever. My wife says that to me all the time,,,,”you’re just never satisfied”. Hmmmm. Maybe

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    1. On to something eh, lol. I think it’s fun to find metaphors, you know, just finding connections among the small and big things in our lives. It’s cool to keep life interesting and keep things new so long as we’re also appreciating what we have at the moment.

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  3. You know we have this in common. We want so much and we want it now. When it comes to actual eating, I love eating alone because I can take huge bites, make disgusting noises, lick my fingers, drool all over, you know, the good way 😂

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        1. I know all about you and your illicit love affair with cereal. I can only imagine that it’s something that has to be eaten in private. Cereal whores like their privacy. Seriously though, cereal is sooo good. I get hungry again 20 minutes later, but it’s always so satisfying when it’s going down. I use vanilla almond milk now and am finally getting used to the change.

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          1. I’m definitely a cereal whore. I have negotiated naughty things with Rui if he would go to the store just to get me cereal hahahaha it’s one of my favorite foods, even the healthy kinds. I’ve finally found a milk substitute. I drink rice and coconut milk, with no added sugar. They’re sweet enough to add to my coffee so I’ve stopped adding sugar to my coffee. Win win.

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  4. For me, it is compulsivity; I don’t do things part way. When I eat, I eat a lot, when I drink, I drink a lot….you get the picture. Moderation is not my friend. I am an all or none kind of woman. But, I think I am going to have a much more mindful dinner tonight!

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    1. Oh, interesting. I love hearing these connections! I’ve learned something new. I think being a lightweight at drinking has always helped me. I’ll be asleep before I can drink too much. I can eat rice and beans, or other savory meals, till I feel like a sack of potatoes, but I can turn away sweets very easily. I had to spend years forcing myself to put less food on my plate to start with, contrary to the “fill up your plate” way I was raised. Are you a lot of fun at a party? Does this excess also apply to dancing? 😀

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      1. I am the same with savory vs. sweet. I think it can be a real struggle for those of us who were raised to fill our plates and clean them. I am in a constant learning phase when it comes to healthier eating. As for the drinking, I am definitely not a lightweight and it is really best if I just don’t have it around the house. Fun at a party? I suppose, if that party is just me and my husband hahahaha. My dancing is usually done alone in the house. I am an off the charts introvert.

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          1. Hahaha!!!! I didn’t even realize I was re-enforcing my extreme ways as I wrote that!!! It must be true! I just read your post about the “Stand Up” and, oh my god, you are amazing!!!!!! I think I want to be you when I grow up!!!!

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            1. Haha, life’s just always revealing cool little connections to us, isn’t it! I love finding them and mostly it’s by accident. But writers like to pay attention, so maybe it isn’t all coincidence. Girl, the stand up will be one of the highlights of this year, I already know! I still can’t believe it happened. 💜

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    1. My popcorn situation is just embarrassing, lol. I always start off saying I won’t eat too much and then the bag is empty and I’m sucking and crunching on leftover seeds by the end of it. For shame. If we ever have popcorn together, there had better be a lot to go around or we’ll be rolling on the ground fighting for it. 💥😅

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  6. Reading this made me think of when my grandmother would tell us to chew our food 20 times I’m like no way! Not chewing that long lol and who wants to take the time to count each chew. I don’t really take my time eating, never have especially if it’s so good! And then she says, how can you really enjoy/savor the flavor if you’re just swallowing it down so quick. I see the correlation here.🤔✨

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    1. You know, Lee, studies have shown that Americans on average eat much faster than our European counterparts, so you can blame the nation and not yourself!
      It’s funny because I don’t really think about chewing, yet I’m always the slowest eater at any table. I take forever between swallows to make it last forever. Chewing a long time sort of grosses me out though. The food loses texture and I feel like I’m eating pudding. 🤢 But like damn, girl, your tastebuds are pissed! The food is gone before they have a chance to wake up hahahaha.

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      1. Lmao exactly! That’s another reason I never liked chewing that long it’s gross after a while. But I have slowed down since then lol I’ve had different health issues that made me rethink my eating habits.

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  7. I just love you. Seriously I want to lick your brain. I would prefer to eat with a feedbag, just wrapped around my neck like a barnyard animal. Do I gorge on life? Hmmmmm…. I don’t take the slow pleasure in things anymore, too distracted. I should slowly eat a cookie by the river and see how that makes me feel

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    1. You know I love you too. I’m disappointed in myself for not having thought of a feedbag which could solve so many problems. And not to worry, I’m planning a kidnapping of you very soon, so go ahead and pack an overnight bag. I’ll supply the cookie and the river. Until then, I’m going to need you to drink a morning coffee while doing nothing else.

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    1. This is great! I was wondering the secret to being able to read so many books and now I know: do it while I’m eating and make full use of a towel. I’ll be able to squeeze at least 5 more books out of this year. Thanks girlie!

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    1. Hey Quetsy! Yes, it’s hard to look past our bigger (and faster) is better culture. Someone will come up with an app soon that triggers alarms when we’ve swallowed too quickly. Mark my words!

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