---
title: "Young@Heart: Read It and Eat"
description: In this Young@Heart article and video I wrote about eating while you read and how to baby step your way out of that weight-gaining habit.
image: https://blog.cluborganized.com/hs-fs/file-642240715-png/blog-files/2012_04_25_clip.png
---

# [Young@Heart: Read It and Eat](https://blog.cluborganized.com/youngheart-read-it-and-eat-321)

# Read It and Eat

![Young@Heart](https://blog.cluborganized.com/hs-fs/file-642240715-png/blog-files/2012_04_25_clip.png?width=90&height=90&name=2012_04_25_clip.png)

Kristi, my bonus daughter, is like a real daughter to me. We have such fun and yet we’re so different. This fall we spent three weeks together and the time flew! One of the days she and I went shopping and ended up in her favorite bookstore. While perusing the minuscule section on home and family, I heard her squeal with joy a few rows over and found her holding Diana Gabaldon’s latest novel in hardback.

“Oh, look, it’s out, I have to get it!”

“Wow, it’s huge!”

“Yeah it’s about a three-pounder.”

“Oh, Sweetie, I don’t think it weighs that much, maybe a pound.”

“No, I don’t mean it weighs three pounds, I mean I’ll gain three pounds reading it. I love to eat while I read!”

Kristi is a size three or four so she can afford to put a little “reading cushion” on her petite body, but the notion of eating while reading intrigued me because I can’t do that. I either have to read or eat to fully enjoy either event and if I try to do both simultaneously I miss out on the best of both worlds. And it’s also a good thing for me because I read a lot and I don’t need the extra calories that would find their way into my system via time spent with Michael Connelly.

I was telling my dear friend Jody about Kristi’s comment and she said,

“Oh my, I’m like Kristi, I love to eat while I read and I could stand to lose some weight.”

“How can you concentrate on the book if you’re eating?” I asked.

“Well, while I’m actually reading I am chewing and then when I turn the page I take another bite.”

“So you take a bite every time you turn a page?”

“Just about! And I have the books with the big print!” (Jody is in her 80s.)

Then she said, “Wow, I could lose some of this extra weight if I stopped that habit, couldn’t I?”

Do you like to eat while you read? My husband does. We read a lot of the same books and I can literally tell what he ate while he read, because invariably the evidence of the snack of choice is left on the pages. I know he ate some left-over barbequed ribs during chapter twelve of *Absolute Power*, because when I got to that chapter I suddenly had the urge to have ribs.

If you have a habit of eating while you read and you want to lose weight, I wouldn’t suggest cold turkeying it. Start with baby steps. Decide to take a bite on even numbered pages, or at the beginning of a chapter. You could decide to take a bite only when there is an illustration or photo. (If you try that one, no fair reading comic books.) Just think, you could lose several pounds in the next year depending on how many books you read, and bites you take per page.

Oh, and if you’re like me and you can’t eat and read at the same time, be so thankful!

Just a thought as we head toward the great summer reading season.

- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)

### Subscribe to Pam's Blog!

### Recommended Posts

### Posts by Month

- [July 2022 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2022/07)
- [March 2022 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2022/03)
- [February 2022 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2022/02)
- [January 2022 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2022/01)
- [December 2021 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/12)
- [October 2021 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/10)
- [September 2021 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/09)
- [August 2021 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/08)
- [July 2021 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/07)
- [June 2021 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/06)
- [May 2021 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/05)
- [March 2021 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/03)
- [February 2021 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/02)
- [January 2021 (15)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2021/01)
- [November 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/11)
- [October 2020 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/10)
- [September 2020 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/09)
- [August 2020 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/08)
- [July 2020 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/07)
- [June 2020 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/06)
- [May 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/05)
- [April 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/04)
- [March 2020 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/03)
- [February 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/02)
- [January 2020 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2020/01)
- [December 2019 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/12)
- [November 2019 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/11)
- [October 2019 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/10)
- [September 2019 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/09)
- [August 2019 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/08)
- [July 2019 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/07)
- [June 2019 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/06)
- [May 2019 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/05)
- [April 2019 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/04)
- [March 2019 (17)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/03)
- [February 2019 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/02)
- [January 2019 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2019/01)
- [December 2018 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/12)
- [November 2018 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/11)
- [October 2018 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/10)
- [September 2018 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/09)
- [August 2018 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/08)
- [July 2018 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/07)
- [June 2018 (10)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/06)
- [May 2018 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/05)
- [April 2018 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/04)
- [March 2018 (10)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/03)
- [February 2018 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/02)
- [January 2018 (10)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2018/01)
- [December 2017 (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/12)
- [November 2017 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/11)
- [October 2017 (19)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/10)
- [September 2017 (15)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/09)
- [August 2017 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/08)
- [July 2017 (16)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/07)
- [June 2017 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/06)
- [May 2017 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/05)
- [April 2017 (16)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/04)
- [March 2017 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/03)
- [February 2017 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/02)
- [January 2017 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2017/01)
- [December 2016 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/12)
- [November 2016 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/11)
- [October 2016 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/10)
- [September 2016 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/09)
- [August 2016 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/08)
- [July 2016 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/07)
- [June 2016 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/06)
- [May 2016 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/05)
- [April 2016 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/04)
- [March 2016 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/03)
- [February 2016 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/02)
- [January 2016 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2016/01)
- [December 2015 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/12)
- [November 2015 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/11)
- [October 2015 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/10)
- [September 2015 (9)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/09)
- [August 2015 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/08)
- [July 2015 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/07)
- [June 2015 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/06)
- [May 2015 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/05)
- [April 2015 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/04)
- [March 2015 (11)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/03)
- [February 2015 (12)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/02)
- [January 2015 (15)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2015/01)
- [December 2014 (14)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/12)
- [November 2014 (10)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/11)
- [October 2014 (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/10)
- [August 2014 (9)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/08)
- [July 2014 (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/07)
- [June 2014 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/06)
- [May 2014 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/05)
- [April 2014 (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/04)
- [March 2014 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/03)
- [February 2014 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2014/02)
- [August 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/08)
- [July 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/07)
- [June 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/06)
- [May 2013 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/05)
- [April 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/04)
- [March 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/03)
- [February 2013 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/02)
- [January 2013 (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2013/01)
- [December 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/12)
- [November 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/11)
- [October 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/10)
- [September 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/09)
- [August 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/08)
- [July 2012 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/07)
- [June 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/06)
- [May 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/05)
- [April 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/04)
- [March 2012 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/03)
- [February 2012 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/02)
- [January 2012 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2012/01)
- [December 2011 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/12)
- [November 2011 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/11)
- [October 2011 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/10)
- [September 2011 (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/09)
- [August 2011 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/08)
- [July 2011 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/07)
- [May 2011 (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/05)
- [April 2011 (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/04)
- [March 2011 (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/archive/2011/03)

[see all](https://blog.cluborganized.com/youngheart-read-it-and-eat-321#)

### Posts by Topic

- [Happiness (122)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/happiness)
- [Young@Heart Articles (112)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/youngheart-articles)
- [Featured (83)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/featured)
- [Young@Heart Videos (71)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/youngheart-videos)
- [Recipes (64)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/recipes)
- [On Being Organized / Disorganized (61)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/on-being-organized-disorganized)
- [Cooking Videos (59)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/cooking-videos)
- [Organization (53)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/organization)
- [De-Cluttering (46)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/de-cluttering)
- [Being a Mom (44)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/being-a-mom)
- [Habits (42)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/habits)
- [Tools for Moms (36)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/tools-for-moms)
- [Fitness (31)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/fitness)
- [Health (28)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/health)
- [Relationships (26)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/relationships)
- [family (23)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/family)
- [succeed (20)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/succeed)
- [Raising Children (19)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/raising-children)
- [get organized (19)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/get-organized)
- [Articles (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/articles)
- [Family Games (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/family-games)
- [Playing with Kids (13)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/playing-with-kids)
- [Daily Thought, (9)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/daily-thought)
- [Daily Thoughts (8)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/daily-thoughts)
- [Cleaning (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/cleaning)
- [How to Clean Videos (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/how-to-clean-videos)
- [Monday Morning for Moms (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/monday-morning-for-moms)
- [de-junking (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/de-junking)
- [holidays (7)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/holidays)
- [recipes, cooking, low carb (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/recipes-cooking-low-carb)
- [stay at home mom (6)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/stay-at-home-mom)
- [Entertainment for Mom (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/entertainment-for-mom)
- [inner child (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/inner-child)
- [peace of mind (5)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/peace-of-mind)
- [Manners and Children (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/manners-and-children)
- [christmas (4)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/christmas)
- [Children's Rooms (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/childrens-rooms)
- [food (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/food)
- [organizing clothes closet (3)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/organizing-clothes-closet)
- [House Fairy Videos (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/house-fairy-videos)
- [being debt-free (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/being-debt-free)
- [belated thank you notes (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/belated-thank-you-notes)
- [gardening (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/gardening)
- [money (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/money)
- [procrastination (2)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/procrastination)
- [The Cleaner Guy (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/the-cleaner-guy)
- [faith (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/faith)
- [forgiveness (1)](https://blog.cluborganized.com/topic/forgiveness)

[see all](https://blog.cluborganized.com/youngheart-read-it-and-eat-321#)

© 2014, Pamela I. Young, All Rights Reserved