Why I Don’t Think About Food When I Write

Food and writing are antithetical to each other

Israrkhan
The Haven
5 min readDec 4, 2022

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A woman in a black shirt looking hungrily to a spoon in her hand full of small biscuts
Photo by Tamas Pap on Unsplash

No, I’m not talking about my writing habits.

Instead, I’m talking about why I don’t think about food when I write.

You see, for me, there is nothing more distracting than a rumbling tummy or the thought of what snack will come next.

So the only way to ensure that my words flow uninterrupted is to simply forget about food altogether.

That’s why I don’t pay any attention to the snacks that are calling out to me while I write, and instead focus on the task at hand.

Now, this doesn’t mean that I never take a break or enjoy a snack here and there; it just means that food isn’t my top priority while I’m writing.

So if you’re looking for some tips on how to remain focused, just remember that food can wait until the words are finished.

Believe me, it’s worth it!

After all, who wants to have their masterpiece stained with ketchup?

Not me!

So next time you feel your stomach grumbling or your fingers itching for something to nibble on, just remind yourself that food can wait and the writing must come first.

Trust me, you won’t regret it!

My words start to smell like the food I’m thinking about

As any writer can tell you, there’s nothing more distracting than the thought of food.

You’re in the middle of a sentence and all of a sudden you start thinking about that delicious-looking sandwich sitting on your desk.

You know you shouldn’t eat it, but it’s just so tempting!

Before you know it, you’ve finished the sandwich and your writing is nowhere near done.

So why does food have such a powerful hold over us?

Well, part of it has to do with our biology. Our brains are hardwired to seek out food as a way to survive.

But even beyond that, we’re also taught from an early age that food is important.

We learn to associate good feelings with food, which is why we often turn to comfort foods when we’re feeling down or stressed out.

But all this focus on food can be a distraction when we’re trying to write.

So how can we overcome these distractions and stay focused?

Well, one way is to simply avoid thinking about food altogether. That means not letting yourself get distracted by the snacks calling out to you, and instead focusing on the task at hand.

It might be tough at first, but with practice, you’ll eventually be able to write without thinking about food.

And who knows, maybe you’ll even learn to enjoy writing and forget about food altogether!

My stomach starts to growl and distract me from my work

I’m sorry, I can’t hear you over the sound of my stomach growling!

Yes, that’s right, my stomach is so loud it’s actually distracting me from my work.

It’s like there’s a little monster inside of me that’s always hungry and never stops talking.

But don’t worry, I’m not the only one who has this problem.

In fact, a lot of people find it difficult to focus when their stomach is growling.

And the reason for that is pretty simple: we’re hardwired to respond to food.

Our brains are constantly looking for food to function well, so it’s no surprise that we start to get distracted when we’re hungry.

But just because it’s difficult to focus doesn’t mean we can’t overcome it.

In fact, there are a few things we can do to stay focused when our stomachs are growling.

One way to simply avoid thinking about food is to type too much with a speed that the tip of the keyboard sound may override the growls of your stomach.

This way, you will finish your work before you can even notice your hunger.

I tear the pages and eat them when I don’t like the writing

I know I shouldn’t do it, but sometimes I just can’t help myself.

I’ll be writing and reading along, and suddenly the writing will start to annoy me.

The characters will become irritating, the plot will seem contrived, and I’ll find myself skimming just to get to the end.

And that’s when I’ll do it: I’ll tear out a page, crumple it up, and eat it.

It’s a satisfying feeling, knowing that I’m destroying the words that I so dislike.

I have this strange habit of tearing out pages from my notebook and eating them when I don’t like what I’ve written.

It’s not that I have a thing for paper — I actually prefer the taste of vellum — but there’s something satisfying about destroying something that I’m not proud of.

Of course, it’s not always practical to eat my words (literally), so sometimes I’ll just set them on fire instead.

Either way, it definitely helps me to get over my writer’s block!

I starve myself to write the best pieces

Some people fast for religious reasons, some people do it for health reasons, and some people do it to save money on food.

I do it for the sole purpose of being able to write the best pieces.

When my stomach is growling and my head is foggy from hunger, that’s when I know I’m in the zone.

The ideas just come pouring out, and before I know it, I’ve produced a masterpiece.

It’s not always easy to stick to my fasting regimen, but the results are always worth it.

So next time you’re struggling to come up with a great idea, try going without food for a few hours — you might just find the inspiration you need.

Conclusion

So there you have it — these are the ways to overcome the distractions of hunger and stay focused while writing.

Whether you type too fast with a loud keyboard, tear out pages and eat them, or starve yourself for inspiration, there’s a method here that will work for you.

Just remember: the most important thing is to stay focused and don’t let your stomach get in the way of your writing!

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