The Mindfulness Trick That Helped One Woman Lose Weight

It turns out that trying to live deliberately has a whole host of positive side-effects. (Photo: Big Cheese Photo)

If there’s one day in my life I want to really show up for, it’s my wedding day. I’m getting married at the end of the month, and I want to dance like no one’s watching, to be present in every moment, and all those clichés.

The trouble is, I’m not so good at being present. It’s rare for me to focus on doing or enjoying just one thing. At my job, I eat lunch in front of my computer. At home, when I watch Netflix, I’m likely also on my phone trying to determine what other movie I’ve seen that one guy in. If I’m trying to get some writing done—hold on, I just got an email.

I’m not unique in my distraction. Surveys have found that 60 percent of home meals take place in front of the television, 76 percent of workers respond to emails within an hour, and 61 percent of people admit to using their smartphones on the toilet. (And honestly, that last number seems low.)

So to practice being present before my upcoming nuptials, I devised a plan: For one week, I would allow myself to do only one thing at a time. The goal was to fully experience the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feels of everyday life.

When eating, I had to look at my food and, when applicable, my dining companion(s)—no screens or ‘zines. At work, I’d check my email only occasionally, and I’d allow no more than one browser tab open at a time. My iPhone would no longer accompany me into the bathroom. (Yes, I’m one of those people.) I wouldn’t even listen to the radio on my drive to work or to music while cooking dinner.

It was hard. I wasn’t perfect. But a few things happened that helped me determine when single-tasking is best—for my body and my mind—and when it just sucks:

I Lost Weight
Having to make time to eat (and only eat) was simultaneously rewarding and a huge pain in the keister. When I savored my meals, the food tasted more flavorful, and I felt more satisfied. This mindful eating thing—it’s pretty great, I thought. However, when squeezing in lunch away from my office in the middle of a workday, I felt rushed and flustered, wanting to get back to my assignments. So instead of stepping away from my desk to snack, I’d often just continue to work and not eat, which left me hungry and cranky.

At home, cooking alone with no music or podcasts to distract me was agonizing. In one memorable incident, I pulled a fish fillet off the pan without making sure it was done because I was so impatient to eat. When I realized I was about to give myself food poisoning, I wept out of frustration and low blood sugar. I then mindfully ate a sad bowl of oatmeal.

Being unable to snack in front of the television, however, was a major blessing. I’ve wolfed down entire pints of ice cream while hanging out with my friends Lorelei and Rory Gilmore, which never ends well for my waistline or my self-esteem. But watching mediocre TV without the distraction of dessert made me realize that I don’t really like mediocre TV all that much.

Related: 8 Crazy Things That Happen When You Quit Diet Soda

I Noticed Things
I once missed comedian Aziz Ansari crowd-surfing past me at a concert because I was uploading a photo to Facebook, so I have a history of being oblivious to my surroundings. During my week of single-tasking, I started to pick up on things I’ve been missing for days, months, or even years.

For example, on a drive home from work, I noticed that a bridge I’ve crossed while going to and from work every day since 2008 spans a lovely, burbling creek. I had never turned my head to see that before—I always thought I was crossing a ditch. On another drive into work, I noticed a sign in front of a veterinarian’s office that read “AVOID HUMP DAY: HAVE YOUR PET SPAYED OR NEUTERED.” You come across life’s small delights more easily when you’re truly paying attention.

I Got More Done
It’s easy for me to fritter away time in the morning sitting in my recliner with my cat on my lap, catching up on Facebook, then Instagram, then Twitter, then Facebook. You get the picture. This is part of my weekday routine, and I’m often rushing out the door to get to work because of it. During my week of single-tasking, everything I did was done with intention: If I checked social media, I set a time limit, and once that time was up, I was onto something else. I left for work with ample time to spare. I even was able to wash my breakfast dishes before I departed, something I don’t ordinarily make time to do (much to my fiancé’s displeasure).

At work, shutting off my email except when I intended to check it (once every hour or two) was a complete game-changer. My train of thought stayed on the tracks until I completed a task, which meant I could complete far more tasks than usual. I became a writing and editing machine.

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I Was Exhausted
My brain missed its time off: the interruption of an email, the lost minutes spent scrolling through social media, the mindlessness of driving the same route I always drive while belting out a Taylor Swift single. I’m accustomed to spending some portion of my day mentally checked out, and when I attempted to keep my mind on point 24-7, it protested. It was like asking a Biggest Loser contestant to run a marathon on his first day at the ranch. Which is why I’m going to blame the mental fatigue for the I-undercooked-my-fish-and-now-I’m-bawling incident.

By the end of the week, I was excited to return to some old habits—sometimes, you just got to snack while you’re working—but I felt more aware of the difference between giving something my full attention and (smart)phoning it in. While being so attentive all the time is unsustainable, at least for me, I’m confident that I at least won’t be sneaking away to check Instagram in the bathroom at my reception.

Related: 5 Things Your Therapist Would Like To Tell You (But Doesn’t)

by Meghan G. Loftus