Page 3 2009 Winter

Woman at fridge Reasons for eating
DIY: Mindful Eating

Reasons for eating

“Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between physical hunger and a feeling of wanting to put food in your mouth.”
Dr Rick Kausman

There are many reasons why humans eat, apart from hunger. For most people, food and drink are more than just fuel; they also give pleasure, comfort, entertainment and a sense of control. Although it is common to eat for reasons other than hunger, it can also be helpful to learn to identify these reasons. This will help you tell the difference between physical hunger and the psychological urge to eat.

Hunger and satisfaction

The decision to start eating, knowing when to stop eating, and feeling satisfied after eating are the result of complex interactions between our gastrointestinal tract and our brain. Jean Hailes researcher Dr Lisa Moran has studied the hormones related to hunger and eating. “Chemicals that are released from our stomach and intestine are influenced by what we eat, how much we eat and how long it was since we last ate. These chemicals signal our brain to start and stop eating. Added to this are the habits and emotions associated with eating, making the decision to eat or not eat one of the most complicated decisions you make each day.”

Cravings

Food cravings are powerful urges that make us want to eat a particular type of food. Some people crave sweet foods such as biscuits, chocolate and cake; for others potatoes, pasta and crusty bread hit the spot; and others lust after salty chips, burgers or pizza. It is commonly believed that cravings are the result of the body telling us what is missing. However no current research supports this and it appears that cravings are largely psychological in nature.

People who try to avoid certain foods are more likely to crave those foods. Often when dieting you not only eliminate high-energy foods, you also eliminate foods you have enjoyed eating over a number of years. Some of the pleasure associated with eating therefore disappears.

This ‘forbidden fruit’ mentality makes the food we are trying to avoid seem even more irresistible. For example, someone who avoids eating bread, potatoes and pasta may find themselves craving these foods. Likewise, replacing meals with diet shakes may cause cravings for crunching and chewing. When you ultimately give in to your craving, you are more likely to overeat or binge.

Mindless munching

Some experts suggest boredom may be the most common cause of overeating. We often start looking for something to eat to delay doing other things. Cooking, preparing and eating food are forms of entertainment and can be a temporary distraction from boredom. Some people find that they ‘switch off’ and lose track of how much they’ve eaten. Mindless eating tends to lead to overeating, which often leads to weight gain.

You are NOT what you eat

Some people see food as a treat or reward. You might say to yourself, “I’ve been good all day, I deserve this chocolate cake.”
In childhood, many of us were given lollies or other favourite foods as rewards for being good or bribes to behave well. Although it is important to enjoy your food, treating it as a prize (or punishment) is not a good idea.

Dr Rick Kausman is a weight management consultant who believes that giving foods a moral value (good or bad) can make us
feel good or bad for eating them. “When people eat food they call 'bad' or 'junk', they often feel bad about themselves and guilty
about what they have eaten. Often this guilty feeling can make people eat more of that type of food, even when they no longer feel like it.”

Rick suggests we should try to think about ‘everyday foods’ (foods healthy to eat most of the time) and ‘sometimes’ foods (foods healthy – or at least not unhealthy – to eat sometimes).

Comfort Eating

Comfort eating is when we eat in response to emotions, particularly when not physically hungry. It is not uncommon to eat when you feel sad, angry, lonely, stressed, hopeless or depressed. People often find that eating makes them feel better in the short term.

Experts believe that the effects of comfort eating are more psychological than physical. Jean Hailes psychologist Gillian Needleman explains, “Eating favourite foods is pleasurable and temporarily relieves stress. If we feel emotionally empty, eating gives a physical sensation of fullness that can be comforting.”

Food being served Comfort eating is a common behaviour and is not harmful in moderation. However if you find yourself regularly eating (when you are not hungry) as a way to deal with your feelings, or you feel guilty after eating, you might like to talk to someone about finding a better way to cope. Continual overeating can lead to weight gain and other health issues so it is important to seek help when needed.

I’ll have what she’s having

Catching up for coffee or going out for dinner are social activities that help us connect with people. Studies have shown that people tend to eat more when in large groups. As Gillian points out, “Humans are social beings. Sharing and preparing food is a bonding experience. Would you invite a friend over and not offer them something to eat or drink?”

Cultural and ethnic background also impact on our attitude to food and eating. For some cultural groups, such as those from Mediterranean regions, food and hospitality play an important role in social and family life. Sometimes we eat to please others or to feel included.

Old habits die hard

Eating by the clock: Eating is part of our daily routine. Many people find themselves eating because it’s mealtime, whether they are hungry or not. You might have a late lunch one day but still eat dinner at 6pm with your family, even though you don’t have much of an appetite.
Eating and events: Sometimes we form a habit by associating certain activities with food. For example, some people feel
an urge to snack when they watch TV. Buying a chocolate bar at the supermarket checkout or always having a biscuit with
our morning coffee can become rituals that have nothing to do with hunger.
Clean Plate Club: As children, many of us were taught to finish all the food on our plates and this lesson has stuck. Some
people continue to eat even after they are full because they don’t want to waste food or offend the chef. Studies have shown that people eat 30 per cent more when given a larger portion of food, compared to a smaller portion. The best way to make sure you don’t eat food “just because it’s there” is to eat slowly. This gives your stomach time to signal to your brain when you are full so you will know when to stop eating – regardless of how much food is left on your plate.

DIY: Mindful Eating

Being mindful means being aware of what you’re doing and why. When you eat mindfully, you allow yourself to be present in the moment and really appreciate the act of eating. It encourages you to use all your senses to enhance the eating experience and makes you more aware of the quality and quantity of your food.

To better understand mindful eating, try the following activity:

1. Find a quiet, distraction-free environment that promotes mindfulness. (Not in front of the television!) Ask yourself, “Do I really want food?” If yes – “what food?” Give yourself permission to eat it. If no – “what else do I want?” This helps you be aware of your emotional needs.

2. Before you begin eating, look carefully at your food. Think about its appearance, its smell and where it came from. Some people find buying their food from local markets instead of supermarkets makes them more aware of the food’s origins. Saying the name of the food aloud can be helpful. Pay attention to your body’s urge to eat (e.g. mouth watering, feeling hungry).

3. Put a bite in your mouth and then put down your cutlery or the remainder of the food. Concentrate on how the food feels and tastes. Chew the food slowly and be aware of what’s happening in your mouth. Notice that as you chew, you salivate and feel an urge to swallow. Continue chewing until the food has an even consistency.

4. Swallow the food and think about how your stomach feels being one bite fuller.

5. Keep eating each bite mindfully until finished. Try to decide when you are finished based on the way you feel (e.g. full stomach, no more hunger) rather than whether your plate is clean.

Hunger scale

Many of us have forgotten how to listen to our bodies. Rating our level of hunger before eating can help us eat mindfully. It also helps you identify the triggers that make you eat when you are not hungry.

Hunger scale

Eating awareness diary

Keeping an eating awareness diary is a very useful way to work out what, when and most importantly, why we eat. You may already be familiar with the idea of a food diary, where you record all the food you eat over a period of time. In an eating
awareness diary, you write down not just what you eat, but also:

Where you were
Who was with you
What else you were doing at the time e.g. watching TV
How hungry/full you felt before and after the meal
Other emotions/thoughts you had before and after the meal

This helps you identify the emotional or psychological triggers that make you want to eat. If you find that you are eating most of your meals when you aren’t physically hungry, try to think of other ways to meet your needs.

Further resources

Download fact sheets on nutrition, healthy eating and Dr Rick’s top tips to be a healthy weight or purchase an Eating Awareness Diary in our online shop at www.jeanhailes.org.au or call tollfree on 1800 151 441.

Other useful websites:
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
http://www.ifnotdieting.com.au/

Content Updated May 20, 2009