9 Shocking Things That Can Happen To Your Body If You Eat In Front Of Your Laptop
niharika nayakBA (Media & Communication) Experience: 4 yearsNiharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... more
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We’re all guilty of eating in front of our laptops. Even if we don’t really want to, sometimes it is simply convenient to sit in front of our laptops and munch away. While many of us may try our best to avoid doing so or prefer sitting at our dining tables when we eat, if we work in the office, it might simply be an easier option to eat in front of our laptops if work pops up and we need to get to it. It is a similar situation when you are binging on shows with constant snack binging sessions. If you are busy and engaged somewhere, your mind will not immediately let you know that your stomach is full. That’s because your focus is on something else.
Yes, this is a super unhealthy habit but what you may not know is that it has many more negative effects than you might think. Besides overeating, you might also end up making more unhealthy food choices than you might regularly eat. So here are nine shocking things that can happen to your body if you eat in front of your laptop:
1. You Tend To Overeat
If you are someone who likes to multitask while you have your meal, it can become quite hard to focus. So even if you are getting a lot of work done, you might not end up paying attention to how much you’re eating. Similarly, watching TV and eating is not a good idea as it can lead to you consuming a more considerable amount of calories than you had initially intended on consuming. It is not far-fetched to say that you are very likely to choke on your food if your mind is immersed in the screen. If you continue doing that, which would become a compulsive habit and lead to health problems plus high chances of obesity. This has become very common nowadays as mostly everyone is staying home.
2. It Can Cause Severe Indigestion
In order to properly digest the food you eat, you need to sit down and relax while you are eating. This is why it is essential that you carefully chew your food and break it down into smaller grains and particles of food. Laptops and gadgets will simply distract us from how and what we eat and leave us feeling significantly worse later on.
3. You End Up Eating Too Fast
It is better to eat leisurely than to eat in a hurry, and if you end up eating in front of your laptop, you will end up eating a lot quicker than you would if you were eating at a dining table. If you grab something while you are in a rush, you will end up eating faster and overeating. This is why it is advised that you put your laptop to the side and concentrate on what you eat instead. In order to focus more on the work that you are trying to finish, stuffing food in big bites and swallowing too quickly will cause stomach issues.
4. You Feel Less Satisfied After Your Meal
One thing that will most definitely happen if you eat in front of your computer or TV is that you will end up focusing more on whatever is happening on your screen than on what you are eating. If we eat mindlessly, we won’t enjoy the taste of our food and get to experience our meals the right way. This will make the food less satisfying for you, and you will miss out on cues that tell you that you have not eaten enough.
5. You May End Up Binging On Junk Food
Another reason why you should not be eating in front of the screen is that you might end up choosing quantity over the quality of the food. Processed food may end up being one of the easiest choices to grab in this situation as it is easier to eat take-out in front of the screen. You may not end up taking the time out to prepare yourself a delicious meal. Eating take-out and processed food can have a negative effect on your diet.
6. You Will End Up Snacking More Throughout The Day
If you eat in front of the computer, this will only encourage you to munch on snacks and other food later. If you regularly eat in front of the computer, you will notice that you get hungry faster later. Maybe try eating on a dining table or without any distractions for once just to see the effect it has on your diet.
7. It Could Lead To Screen Addiction
These days most kids and teenagers end up eating in front of their TVs because it has been such a significant part of their lives. In fact, many parents will feed their children in front of the screen, especially if they are fussy eaters. However, rather than simplifying the process, it will only lead to further problems and severe complications. This will create an unhealthy environment for your children, and they will end up developing bad dietary habits. Sometimes, it so happens that you will continuously feel like eating something and watching as it becomes a pleasurable activity. Some adults treat it as a stress-reducing mechanism while working. Therefore, it is best to separate the two activities.
8. You Might End Up Not Blinking Enough
It is important that you blink properly when you sit in front of a computer. One common effect of not sitting away from your laptop or TV is that you will end up focusing on the screen and not blink as often as you would. It will eventually lead to dried eyes and burning. This is also exactly how it leads to an increase or decrease in eyesight power. This is why it is essential to follow a rule called 20-20-20 when you are watching a screen. What this basically means is that every 20 minutes, you should gaze at a certain point that is around 20 feet away from you for about 20 seconds.
9. It Can Negatively Affect Your Posture
You will notice that your posture is significantly worsened when you spend long hours in front of your computer. It is important that the top of your screen stays at eye level as this will make it easier for you to keep your back straight. Sit up straight and tall, and make sure that your forearms are kept parallel to the ground so that you don’t lean forward when you are reaching for the keyboard.
Sure, it might seem odd to eat at a dining table if you are used to eating in front of your laptop, but doing so will result in you having healthier dietary habits and not overeating. Do this to make sure that you stay healthy and fit. Do let us know all of your thoughts in the comment section below!
