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Food Psychology – How why you eat is just as important as what you eat
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Food Psychology – How Why You Eat Is Just As Important As What You Eat

There are many reasons why people eat, and being hungry is often not one of them. Boredom, habits, emotions and/or stress are often reasons people pick up their forks. Read on to learn ways to recognize your true internal hunger and beat off those psychological stressors.

• Learn to “self talk.”
  • Foods choices are made in our heads. Talk to yourself and evaluate the situation.
  • Talk yourself into practicing self control.
  • Your mind can be powerful to steer you in making the right food choices.
  • Knowing the information is the first step, now talk yourself into action.
• Be aware of your internal hunger.
  
• We are “mouth” hungry when we have a taste for something but may have just eaten. Listen to your body to assess if your “stomach” needs food.
  
• Does your stomach growl? Do you get a headache, light-headed or irritable?
  
• There is a hunger scale from being fully stuffed to be totally ravenous.
  
• It is best to eat when we begin to recognize our hunger.
  
• We make poor eating choices when we are ravenous because it impairs our judgment.
  
• Some think they are hungry but they may be thirsty (dehydrated). Drink water throughout the day.
  
• Avoid eating out of boredom or stress.
  
• Avoid emotional eating.
  • Instead: call a friend, take a walk, read a magazine, write in journal.
  • Always have cut-up vegetables and fruit for an alternative to high-fat snacks.
  • If you need an oral fix, chew gum.
  • Brushing your teeth may prevent you from eating.
• Ask yourself: Am I really hungry? Why am I eating?
  
• It takes 20 minutes for our stomach to signal to our brain that we are full.
  
• Just remember that you can have more later on when you are hungry again. Pay attention to the taste and texture and your sense of being filled by the food you eat.
  
• Eat slowly.
  • Chew, taste and enjoy each mouthful.
  • Put your fork down between bites to help you eat slow.
  • If you eat fast, you may overeat and feel “stuffed” after a meal because you did not pay attention to how much you ate. When you eat fast, you may have forgotten what you ate and you did not taste the food.
  • Use smaller plates to help control portion size.
    Fill ½ your plate with fruits and vegetables, ¼-1/2 with carbohydrates and ¼ with lean protein choices.
    
• Do not skip meals.
  • Our metabolism slows down when we do not eat.
  • Food stimulates our metabolism to burn calories more efficiently.
  • Try not to go longer than 4 hours between meals or snacks.
    
• Out of sight out of mind
  • If you do not see a tempting treat, it is easier not to indulge.
  • Do not keep tempting foods at home or with you.
    
• Once you start, it is hard to stop
  • Eating one treat is great, but then you want more.
  • The second portion tastes just like the first and reiterates that you like it.
  • This cycle can continue which may make you feel guilty and even sick to your stomach because you overate.
  • Single treats can be eaten in moderation as part of a healthy meal plan.
    It may have been easier to never indulge, preventing the start of a viscous cycle.
  • Talk to yourself and practice self control.
    
• Moderation: the 80-20 rule.
  • All foods can fit when your base diet is healthfully selected 80% of the time. That is 80% of your breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks being low fat choices.
• The remaining 20% leaves room for the special occasions, holidays, and “treats.”
• Some sweet treats can be made low fat and offer good nutritional value from whole grains. These are considered more the 80% instead of the 20%.