“We asked 150 Parisians how they knew they were through with dinner,” food psychologist Brian Wansink, PhD, said. “They said, ‘When we’re full.’ When we asked 150 Chicagoans that they said, ‘When the plate is empty.’” *
If we are to get our eating under control, we need to learn to listen to the cues our body is giving us and get out of the habit of eating as long as the food holds out. Here are some ideas for eating on purpose instead of mindlessly.
- If you don’t need to eat it — don’t buy it! Yes, you are buying it for visiting grandkids, but who is really going to eat it? Offer the kids an apple, instead.
- Don’t buy large, economy sized anything — especially not chips and candy.
- Eat only in the dining room or kitchen.
- Don’t read, watch television, or get on the computer while eating. Just eat.
- Eat with a fork.
- Take small bites.
- Chew your food.
- Make a vegetable tray or fruit the most accessible food in the kitchen. If you do eat without thinking, eat something good for you.
- Cook only the amount you need. Don’t cook a huge casserole if there are only two of you to eat it.
These are just a few ideas to break the automatic eating habit. Each one is painless, and you probably won’t even notice the missing food. You will notice the way your clothes fit better, though!
Eating to live and living for Christ,
Susan Jordan Brown
*Quoted by WebMD from a speech at the American Psychological Association’s annual meeting, Washington D.C., August 5, 2011. “Modifying the Food Environment: From Mindless Eating to Mindlessly Eating Better.”