nosh magazine
NUTRITION
KNOW HOW
Juliana Lisboa answers a frequently asked question about habitual eating.
Q
I’ve noticed that I tend to eat in certain situations. For example, I like to eat
popcorn at the movies, I drink coffee on the way back from the school run, and I
tend to snack before dinner. So I am wondering… am I eating out of habit and if so,
is this something I should worry about?
A. It sounds like you are, in fact, habitually eating. Now in itself,
habitual eating is not a bad thing because in certain situations it
enables our “conscious mind” to focus on more complicated
matters at hand, which can be helpful. The trick is, however, to
regularly bring those eating habits to the conscious mind so you
can keep track of whether they are actually serving you well. In
your examples above, it’s likely that these habits are not really in the
best interests for good health in the long term, so here are some
steps to help you make some positive changes.
Step 1. Identify exactly what you may
need to change
Thinking “I want to be healthy” is a bit too broad to address so
instead, try and narrow in on a specific habit that you’d like to
change. And if you have more than one, then just tackle them one
at a time. In this example, let’s say your habit is that you “want to
stop snacking before dinner everyday.”
Step 2. Work out why you do it
This is a crucial step. Without understanding exactly what your
body wants, it is difficult to determine what to substitute your habit
with. Hunger is one reason for eating, but definitely not the only
one. So, before reaching for those pre-dinner snacks, first ask
yourself “Am I actually hungry?”
Step 3. Find suitable alternatives to fullfil
your needs, without using the old habit
If the answer is “yes, I really am genuinely hungry”, then think of
ways to reduce that hunger. Strategies may include:
• Adjust what you eat for lunch so that it will keep you feeling
fuller for longer.
• Stock your pantry with healthier snack options and place them
in the most visible and accessible sections of your pantry.
• Use a slow cooker so that your dinner is ready for when you
arrive home.
Juliana Lisboa, APD
Learn more about Juliana: website | profile
Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Practising Sports Dietitian,
Juliana provides individual consultations promoting education, meal planning
and lifestyle modification. Working for both Dynamic Dietitians and in a
private practice, Juliana also provides consultancy to Aged Care facilities
and large corporations.
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www.n4foodandhealth.com
If the answer to the above is “no, I am not really hungry”, then
think honestly about why you really want to eat. Are you stressed?
Bored? Sad? Something else? Once you identify what emotion is
driving your snacking habit, you can then develop other ways to
deal with it. This may include:
• Talking to someone about it (a friend, family member or
professional).
• Read a book instead.
• Have a shower.
• Get a manicure/pedicure.
• Go for a walk.
• Take a break from what you were doing.
The nature of a habit means that sometimes you may find yourself
mid-way through the habit before actually realising what you’re
doing. If this happens to you, don’t berate yourself about it. Just
stop as soon as you realise, and go and do one of the above
strategies immediately. You can use the event to reflect and prepare
for next time, and remember – each day is an opportunity to do
something differently. N
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