| In the quest for weight loss, the diet industry | | | | tolerable level. Prime emotions for this type of |
| puts a lot of attention on what we eat but | | | | eating are joy, happiness, desire, elation and |
| focusing on why we eat may be more important. | | | | excitement. |
| After losing over 70 lbs. permanently and | | | | At other times, we may eat to substitute for a |
| becoming a weight loss coach for others, I've | | | | lack of feeling. A good example of this is |
| found most people have a pretty good idea of | | | | boredom. Eating when you are bored can bring on |
| what they should eat. We have no problem | | | | feelings of self-hatred, humiliation, and shame, but |
| categorizing foods into healthy and non-healthy | | | | the bored, empty feeling is gone! |
| lists. But ask someone why they eat and the | | | | Habits |
| usual response is "hunger." Unraveling the deeper | | | | A habit is a stable behavior formed through |
| reasons beneath the pre-emptive response of | | | | repetition over time. Many people ask how this is |
| "hunger" may take a little detective work! | | | | different than Learned Behavior. The difference is |
| Here are a few things that might be lurking | | | | that Learned Behaviors are learned from other |
| beneath the surface of hunger. Keep in mind that | | | | people, usually family, and have a long history. We |
| the categories can overlap and coexist! | | | | are solely responsible for forming Habits. The |
| Learned Behavior | | | | good news is that good habits are as easily |
| Some people learn behaviors at an early age and | | | | formed as bad habits. |
| never question them. A good example is milk and | | | | Social Eating |
| cookies at bedtime or a larger-than-usual meal on | | | | It is rare to socialize in any way today in America |
| Sunday nights. We rarely think about Learned | | | | without the involvement of food. Watching a |
| Behaviors, we simply do them unconsciously. | | | | football game at a neighbor's house, meeting |
| However, the calories still count! | | | | friends you haven't seen for a while: these things |
| Availability of Food | | | | don't need the involvement of food but it usually |
| Imagine you ate a satisfying breakfast. You don't | | | | becomes an integral part of any social plan. This |
| feel hungry at all. Then, someone brings donuts to | | | | often intersects with Availability of Food. It might |
| work. Imagine further that you don't even like the | | | | be wise to ask yourself if you are really hungry |
| type of donuts that appeared! How many times | | | | or just eating because it seems the acceptable |
| would you eat them anyway? Nine out of 10 | | | | and expected thing to do. |
| times? Availability of Food can be a real quagmire | | | | Environmental Eating |
| along the weight loss route, especially in the | | | | Does a visit to the ball park always mean hot |
| United States where food is abundant and | | | | dogs? Does a movie have to include 2000 calories |
| relatively inexpensive. | | | | of popcorn? Certain environments trigger eating |
| Other examples of Availability of Food are | | | | that is unhealthy. Sometimes it can be any |
| all-you-can-eat buffets and social occasions. | | | | environment that is not home. For instance, do |
| Cravings | | | | you always eat more than necessary when dining |
| Cravings for food are chemical. For example, | | | | in a restaurant? |
| when the brain needs serotonin, the brain causes | | | | Hunger |
| carbohydrate cravings. When blood sugar levels | | | | Hunger, true hunger, is another reason to eat. |
| are low, we may crave sugary or sweet foods. | | | | And, ideally, it's the only reason. Humans were |
| When we experience cravings, eating what we | | | | designed to eat to fuel their bodies. Fuel to |
| crave will satisfy the body for a very short time, | | | | survive. Fuel for the massive amounts of |
| then the craving will return full force. Protein is | | | | maintenance, healing and growth our bodies |
| actually a better choice when intense desire | | | | accomplish every day. |
| occurs because it will break the craving cycle. | | | | The first step in straightening out a negative |
| Emotional Eating | | | | eating style is to be able to recognize the why as |
| Food can dilute, soften or dull emotions we term | | | | it's happening. |
| "unpleasant" like anger, resentment, frustration, | | | | It may take a bit of work to get to the point |
| guilt and hatred. Even emotions we label | | | | where true hunger can be recognized but we'd all |
| "desirable" can be so intense, food may be used | | | | be thinner and healthier if we ate only when we |
| to dull the feeling back into a manageable or | | | | were hungry. |