Why Is It So Hard to Stop and Eat?

Welcome to another post from my “Questions from Sessions” series where we explore questions and topics that come up in my sessions week to week.

We’ve all been there—you’re working on something, totally engrossed, and when you finally look up, it’s 2 p.m. (even though you could’ve sworn it was still 11 a.m.). You realize you haven’t eaten lunch. Now you’re over-hungry—or maybe you don’t feel hungry at all—but, you know it’s been way too long since you last ate.

This comes up often with my clients. Stopping to eat can feel incredibly difficult, especially for those who hyperfocus and aren’t experiencing hunger cues.

While discussing this topic, a client and I had a 💥brain blast💥 moment in session. We’d been talking a lot about her experiences with interoception, how she doesn’t feel hunger until it’s extreme, and how this often leads to going too long without eating.

We had been so focused on exploring her interoceptive experiences, that we hadn’t considered the role task switching was playing in her struggle to eat.

Task switching—the process of stopping one activity and transitioning to another—is notoriously challenging for ADHD and autistic adults. It’s not just a matter of willpower; for neurodivergent brains, it’s like slamming on the brakes while speeding down the highway.

Let’s dive into why task switching can feel impossible when it comes to eating and how creating intentional pauses or transitions can help.

Why Task Switching Feels Impossible

For neurodivergent folks, transitioning from one task to another can feel monumental. Here’s why:

1. Hyperfocus or Flow State 🌊

When you’re deeply engaged in a task, your brain is locked in, and shifting gears feels disruptive. Stopping to eat can feel like an unwelcome interruption, especially if you’re not aware of hunger cues.

2. Decision Freeze 🧊

Even if you want to eat, deciding what to eat and preparing it can feel like too many steps, adding friction to the process.

3. Out of Sight, Out of Mind 🫥

Without external reminders—like alarms, visible food, or someone else cueing you—it’s easy to forget that eating is something you need to do.

4. The Momentum of the Current Task ➡️

Once you’re in motion, stopping can feel unnatural, even when you know you need to. You may convince yourself that if you stop what you’re doing, you won’t be able to start back up again (and that may be true!).

The Power of Pausing

Pausing to eat isn’t just about grabbing food; it’s about creating a transition that allows your brain to shift gears. Task switching takes effort, so we need to create space to support the leap from one task to the next.

What my client and I discovered, in her case, was that she needed to create space for transition before she even attempted to eat. It wasn’t fair to her brain and body to expect herself to stop what she was doing and immediately go into “eating mode”. We needed to honor the task switching as a distinct process.

This wasn’t a completely new concept for her—she was already doing it in other areas of her life involving task switching. For example, she would allow herself to sit in her car for a couple of minutes before going inside when returning home from running errands.

Everyone will have their own ways of creating “pause points” for the transition into eating. The key is finding what feels supportive for you.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Set Visual or Auditory Cues

Use a timer, alarm, or sticky note to remind yourself it’s time to eat. Pair it with a kind phrase like, “It’s okay to take a break now.” Allow yourself to verbally acknowledge the transition before moving on to eating.

2. Plan for Transitions

Build in a small buffer activity between your current task and eating, like stretching, zoning out for a minute, going to the bathroom or drinking a glass of water.

3. Pre-Decide Meals or Snacks

Remove decision fatigue by planning ahead or keeping easy-to-grab snacks nearby. If you haven’t planned, give yourself permission to pause and breath before jumping into decision-making mode.

4. Create a Ritual

Establish a consistent routine for eating—like listening to the same playlist or podcast during meals—to signal your brain that it’s time to transition.

Giving Yourself Permission

Stopping to eat isn’t unproductive or indulgent—it’s essential self-care. Pausing to eat gives you the energy and focus to show up for whatever’s next. Whether that’s work, play, watching t.v. or petting your dog.

When task switching feels hard, remind yourself:

• Nourishing your body is just as important as finishing your to-do list.

• It’s okay to be annoyed about stopping what you’re doing—it’s a valid feeling.

• Giving yourself the permission to pause and transition may feel inconvenient, but it will make things easier in the long run.

Go easy on yourself… this sh*t is hard.

What’s one way you create pauses or transitions to help yourself stop and eat? I’d love to hear your strategies—drop a comment below!

If you are finding that you are getting stuck in the transition zone, I am here to help. Nutrition counseling can help you figure out the grooves that work with your brain to get you fed and moving on with your day. Reach out at madison@unravelnutrition to schedule a free intro call. I’m here when you’re ready! :)