Wednesday, December 14, 2011
What to eat???
What to eat when I still want to eat but it's bedtime and I'm NOT HUNGRY?! Nothing. Go to bed. Food doesn't even taste good when I eat and I'm not hungry. This isn't about food, it's something else, but what? What is the emotion? I think I'm just sad the chance to eat this day is over. I love food.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Can Knowing When you are Full Really Work?
In recent talk, Dr. Brian Wansink, a consumer psychologist, discussed the idea that dieters don't need WILLPOWER, just use smaller plates and glasses. He also said that people should keep "unhealthy" foods out of the line of sight, and healthier foods in view.
Dr. Wansink believes that we can't rely on our hunger and fullness signals to tell us when to stop eating. He says that there are just too many stimuli and influences on us to keep eating even after we are full.
So, the idea here is to control the things that stimulate us in our environment, rather than relying on internal signals. I have 2 competing thoughts about this.
First, we should, in theory at least, be able to tune in to physical signals about hunger and fullness and stop eating when we are full and satisfied. The other side of this argument is that humans are "hard wired" to eat when food is available. For most of human history, we lived through cycles of feast and famine, and so eating when food was available was a positive trait or thing to do. So, stopping eating when one was full would be to our disadvantage from an evolutionary point of view.
I believe that we must balance these 2 sides of our nature. Stopping when we are full may just be too, too much for the "system" and it might become overwhelmed by all the food available in our environment these days. Perhaps a way to manage our food environment is to do what Dr. Wansink suggests, using smaller plates, cups and glasses.
A very good compromise, I think!
Dr. Wansink believes that we can't rely on our hunger and fullness signals to tell us when to stop eating. He says that there are just too many stimuli and influences on us to keep eating even after we are full.
So, the idea here is to control the things that stimulate us in our environment, rather than relying on internal signals. I have 2 competing thoughts about this.
First, we should, in theory at least, be able to tune in to physical signals about hunger and fullness and stop eating when we are full and satisfied. The other side of this argument is that humans are "hard wired" to eat when food is available. For most of human history, we lived through cycles of feast and famine, and so eating when food was available was a positive trait or thing to do. So, stopping eating when one was full would be to our disadvantage from an evolutionary point of view.
I believe that we must balance these 2 sides of our nature. Stopping when we are full may just be too, too much for the "system" and it might become overwhelmed by all the food available in our environment these days. Perhaps a way to manage our food environment is to do what Dr. Wansink suggests, using smaller plates, cups and glasses.
A very good compromise, I think!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Comfort Foods
Recently, as my life is quite stressful, I've been really craving smooth, creamy foods, my most comfort foods. I just love salad and other crisp, veggie foods, but when I'm stressed, it's smooth and creamy all the way!
Off to Cape Cod next week for vacation, and can't wait for the seafood and veggies that are plentiful there. I'm hoping my stress level will lower so I can enjoy my Cape Cod favs!
Off to Cape Cod next week for vacation, and can't wait for the seafood and veggies that are plentiful there. I'm hoping my stress level will lower so I can enjoy my Cape Cod favs!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
More on Hunger/Satisfaction and "Fullness"
How do you know when you are full? When all the food on your plate is gone? When you have certain physical feelings of "fullness"?
This is a very important question. If we recommend that people stop eating when they are "full" but they don't have a good barometer giving them signals that make sense, how would they know when to stop eating.
Ever notice that food tastes better when you are hungry? And stops tasting so fabulous when you are getting full? That's a really good indication that you are full and perhaps even satisfied.
What does SATISFACTION with food mean to you?
This is a very important question. If we recommend that people stop eating when they are "full" but they don't have a good barometer giving them signals that make sense, how would they know when to stop eating.
Ever notice that food tastes better when you are hungry? And stops tasting so fabulous when you are getting full? That's a really good indication that you are full and perhaps even satisfied.
What does SATISFACTION with food mean to you?
Friday, May 20, 2011
Hunger and Fullness
I had a conversation today with a client, who said that since she's changed her diet to one that is lower in fat and higher in fiber, she experiences a "different kind of fullness". I asked her to explain.
She said that when she ate a "meat heavy" diet, she felt full a lot of the time, and really liked that feeling. With much less meat, and other fatty foods, she gets full, but it has a different quality.
How interesting! Wouldn't you think that full is full?
I think that when we aren't eating what we REALLY want, we can be physically full, but not SATISFIED. There's a difference between full, and SATISFIED. For me, satisfied has several dimensions, physical, mental and spiritual or psychological. If you "fill up" just one of these, say the physical, the others just might not be satisfied. This might explain my client's observation that the fullness she feels on a lower fat diet isn't the same. This might be OK with her, or it might not.
She said that when she ate a "meat heavy" diet, she felt full a lot of the time, and really liked that feeling. With much less meat, and other fatty foods, she gets full, but it has a different quality.
How interesting! Wouldn't you think that full is full?
I think that when we aren't eating what we REALLY want, we can be physically full, but not SATISFIED. There's a difference between full, and SATISFIED. For me, satisfied has several dimensions, physical, mental and spiritual or psychological. If you "fill up" just one of these, say the physical, the others just might not be satisfied. This might explain my client's observation that the fullness she feels on a lower fat diet isn't the same. This might be OK with her, or it might not.
Name that Veggie!
Name That Veggie Quiz. Try it!
Name That Veggie: Test Your Vegetable IQ
View more presentations from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
Friday, May 6, 2011
Progressive Nutritionists
There's a new group forming, of "progressive nutritionists". One aspect is to influence the American Dietetic Association, which is the organization that credentials Registered Dietitians. I've been an RD and ADA member since 1971, and have been proud to be an RD.
I am, however, not at all pleased with the ADA's policy of accepting sponsorship money from corporations that produce foods with very low nutritional value, such as Coca Cola, Hershey's, Pepsi, and others.
I am very pleased that a group of dietitians is forming to challenge ADA on this policy, and I have joined them. I find it embarrassing and I feel ashamed that my professional group would accept money from such corporations.
Actually, as I write this, I am incensed!
I am, however, not at all pleased with the ADA's policy of accepting sponsorship money from corporations that produce foods with very low nutritional value, such as Coca Cola, Hershey's, Pepsi, and others.
I am very pleased that a group of dietitians is forming to challenge ADA on this policy, and I have joined them. I find it embarrassing and I feel ashamed that my professional group would accept money from such corporations.
Actually, as I write this, I am incensed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
