My Mindful Eating Challenge during #ScreenFreeWeek
I recently had the exciting opportunity of hearing a presentation by one of the leading creators behind the new Canada’s Food Guide.
The Canada’s Food Guide has undergone vital changes since its last revision in 2007. One of which is the emphasis on how we eat. In fact, during the presentation, Dr. Hasan Hutchinson commented that how we eat can be just as important as what we eat. And I thought uh-oh.
Don’t get me wrong, I eat a lot of healthy foods but I do so mostly with my face glued to a screen, whether that is my computer at work; or phone, TV or tablet at home. Hands down, aside from a nightly meal shared with my family, my number one dining companion is a screen.
Full disclosure: I just ate a handful of almonds while typing this and couldn’t tell you if they were salted, plain, raw or roasted. I was hungry, I reached for them and I kept typing.
I’m not sure anyone in my family will have a harder time participating in the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC)’s Screen-free Week 2019 than me.
Because I am going to add a ‘Canada’s Food Guide’ challenge to unplugging from screen-based entertainment and for the seven days between April 29th and May 5th, I am going to put away all screens while I eat. I am going to attempt to eat mindfully, enjoy my food and when I can, eat with others.
To be honest, I think my four year old will throw less of a tantrum having to turn off Paw Patrol than I will by not eating at my desk or having a snack while scrolling social media at night!
One slogan from Screen-Free Week is to “rediscover the joys of life away from screens” and I hope my family and I will do that. I also hope I will rediscover the joy of eating as I put my screens down. Wish me luck. Some habits are really hard to break.
Oh and one last thing – will you join me?
Turn off your screens from April 29th to May 5th and turn on the possibilities of what can happen off screen – getting outside, sharing a laugh, reading a book, cooking with friends and family and maybe even enjoying a healthy meal for one, screen-free.
