WHY DO WE EAT WHEN WE'RE NOT HUNGRY?
Why Do We Eat
The next time you go to put food in your mouth, ask yourself a question. Are you
REALLY hungry? Does your body really need food now? That snack now? That second
portion at dinner?
If you find yourself answering that question with an honest "NO", then determine
"WHY" are you are going to eat when you're body is not really calling for it:
I'M BORED. Sometimes we are just bored and don't have anything better to do. When
this happens, and you start to walk into the kitchen, take a detour to another part of the
house. Do a small chore as "reward" to yourself. Or, if you are a masochist, look at is as a
punishment for almost eating for no reason. Or go for a small walk. That small bit of
activity walking or doing a chore will have quite the opposite effect of having gone into
the kitchen. You are establishing a new habit pattern that will serve your best interests for
life.
IT TASTES GOOD. Yea, a lot of times it does! Especially with my wife cooking; good
thing she cooks healthily as well as tastily. But sometimes we are eating anything we can
find in the kitchen, even if it really isn't that great tasting (like fat or sweets). If you are
going to do dieting, eat food that you really enjoy. Eat less of it, and savor it. And even if
it does taste good, it is no reason to keep eating after your belly is full, especially if you
are trying to lose weight. We have to learn when to "say when". Generally, that's a few
bites before that really full feeling. That's because it takes about 20 minutes for your
brain to realize that it real is full.
I AM ALONE. A lot of times, when I find myself alone I say to myself "TIME TO
SNEAK SOMETHING!" Sound familiar? Isn't it funny how as soon as we are alone in
the house, we sneak into the kitchen for a full-blown raid. We must think that if nobody
sees us eating, we won't gain any weight. One favorite time is when everyone else is off
to bed. Then we load up our stomach with food and sleep with a full stomach. That's selfdestruction!
IT'S BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST. It may
be true, but if you can beat the weight problem, you beat the past, and maybe it will help
you to come to grips with the problem. I have found the Atlas Activated Technique is
very useful.
MY MOTHER ALWAYS MADE ME EAT. My mother always told me about the poor
African children and laid a guilt trip on me. So I eat. Don't do that to your kids.
I AM STRESSED OUT. Now here is a pretty valid one for many people. Many times
during work or after work, I would be feeding my stress instead of my hunger. And it
does seem to help. But it's just treating symptoms, not the cause. Find and fix the cause(s)
of the stress problem and you will be way ahead of the game. Once you recognize the
source of the stress, you will be halfway there.
IT IS COMFORTING. This one goes along with being stressed out. It may go with
something else as well. Fix the problem causing you to want comfort, or find something
else to comfort you, if you can.
TV! I know what makes me want to eat ... TV! TV programs play too many delicious
food commercials that make it very tempting to run to the fridge and snack. Watching
food on a screen for some reason gives you instant desire to eat. And what makes it even
worse it that many people are usually just lying on the couch as they watch TV and
snack. Stop or limit watching TV, especially evening TV (or watch a rented movie with
no commercials). Better yet, use a workout video instead of any TV.
BECAUSE IT'S THERE! Give it away or get rid of it, or if not in your house, walk away
from it.
REVENGE: Some people eat when they are not hungry because a loved one or friend
constantly reminds them about what they shouldn't have been eating.
DINNER TIME: One of the main reasons I eat is that it is dinner time and my family is
hungry. Also, if I let myself get too hungry my wife gets a migraine. So plan your day to
eat at that time, just eat properly and plan healthy meals. If they doesn't like that, that's a
problem.
BECAUSE LIFE ISN'T FAIR!! Sometimes I look at other people. Some can eat anything
and not put on weight. I admit that sometimes I eat something, cookies, milkshake, etc.,
just because a family member or friend is having one. Like I said, life's just not fair. It's a
shame that we have to work a lot harder and eat less than others to get down to, or
maintain a desirable weight. That's what makes all this so difficult. When we do reach
our goal, we have probably accomplished one of the most difficult things we will ever do,
and can be pretty proud of it. We will be a better person for it. And BETTER than those
people that have it easy.
BECAUSE I'M REALLY THIRSTY: I recently read that sometimes people eat because
they are thirsty. Not recognizing that thirst, people will put something in their mouth
(often fattening). The next time you have a craving or feel hungry (but you shouldn't)
drink some water.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M EATING! Well, if you don't know, then at least you're
thinking about it! That's the whole idea, thinking about why you are eating before you do
it.
There are a lot of supposedly good ways to lose weight. Regardless of whether any
particular way is valid or not, the method or technique has to help you realize and think
about eating when you aren't really hungry. If the light bulb can at least go on in your
mind when you are getting ready to eat, and make you think about what you are doing,
maybe you can STOP. Go to the list above and try to figure out why you are trying to eat,
or worse, blow your diet.
IF YOUR STOMACH IS GROWLING, IT IS TIME TO EAT. If you are desiring food
between meals when your stomach is not growling, then it is not your primal instinct
telling you to eat, so don't. It may be one of the things on the list above, or something I
haven't thought of. If it is not one of those things, ASK yourself why you are eating.
Remember, you should give your body some kind of nourishment 2 or 3 times a day or
your metabolism will probably slow down, and hold on to your fat. And if you do have to
eat between "meals", be reasonable. Eat some fruit or cereal, the fiber in those items has
proven to be excellent for the heart.
WHY DO WE EAT WHEN WE'RE NOT HUNGRY?
The next time you go to put food in your mouth, ask yourself a question. Are you
REALLY hungry? Does your body really need food now? That snack now? That second
portion at dinner?
If you find yourself answering that question with an honest "NO", then determine
"WHY" are you are going to eat when you're body is not really calling for it:
I'M BORED. Sometimes we are just bored and don't have anything better to do. When
this happens, and you start to walk into the kitchen, take a detour to another part of the
house. Do a small chore as "reward" to yourself. Or, if you are a masochist, look at is as a
punishment for almost eating for no reason. Or go for a small walk. That small bit of
activity walking or doing a chore will have quite the opposite effect of having gone into
the kitchen. You are establishing a new habit pattern that will serve your best interests for
life.
IT TASTES GOOD. Yea, a lot of times it does! Especially with my wife cooking; good
thing she cooks healthily as well as tastily. But sometimes we are eating anything we can
find in the kitchen, even if it really isn't that great tasting (like fat or sweets). If you are
going to do dieting, eat food that you really enjoy. Eat less of it, and savor it. And even if
it does taste good, it is no reason to keep eating after your belly is full, especially if you
are trying to lose weight. We have to learn when to "say when". Generally, that's a few
bites before that really full feeling. That's because it takes about 20 minutes for your
brain to realize that it real is full.
I AM ALONE. A lot of times, when I find myself alone I say to myself "TIME TO
SNEAK SOMETHING!" Sound familiar? Isn't it funny how as soon as we are alone in
the house, we sneak into the kitchen for a full-blown raid. We must think that if nobody
sees us eating, we won't gain any weight. One favorite time is when everyone else is off
to bed. Then we load up our stomach with food and sleep with a full stomach. That's selfdestruction!
IT'S BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST. It may
be true, but if you can beat the weight problem, you beat the past, and maybe it will help
you to come to grips with the problem. I have found the Atlas Activated Technique is
very useful.
MY MOTHER ALWAYS MADE ME EAT. My mother always told me about the poor
African children and laid a guilt trip on me. So I eat. Don't do that to your kids.
I AM STRESSED OUT. Now here is a pretty valid one for many people. Many times
during work or after work, I would be feeding my stress instead of my hunger. And it
does seem to help. But it's just treating symptoms, not the cause. Find and fix the cause(s)
of the stress problem and you will be way ahead of the game. Once you recognize the
source of the stress, you will be halfway there.
IT IS COMFORTING. This one goes along with being stressed out. It may go with
something else as well. Fix the problem causing you to want comfort, or find something
else to comfort you, if you can.
TV! I know what makes me want to eat ... TV! TV programs play too many delicious
food commercials that make it very tempting to run to the fridge and snack. Watching
food on a screen for some reason gives you instant desire to eat. And what makes it even
worse it that many people are usually just lying on the couch as they watch TV and
snack. Stop or limit watching TV, especially evening TV (or watch a rented movie with
no commercials). Better yet, use a workout video instead of any TV.
BECAUSE IT'S THERE! Give it away or get rid of it, or if not in your house, walk away
from it.
REVENGE: Some people eat when they are not hungry because a loved one or friend
constantly reminds them about what they shouldn't have been eating.
DINNER TIME: One of the main reasons I eat is that it is dinner time and my family is
hungry. Also, if I let myself get too hungry my wife gets a migraine. So plan your day to
eat at that time, just eat properly and plan healthy meals. If they doesn't like that, that's a
problem.
BECAUSE LIFE ISN'T FAIR!! Sometimes I look at other people. Some can eat anything
and not put on weight. I admit that sometimes I eat something, cookies, milkshake, etc.,
just because a family member or friend is having one. Like I said, life's just not fair. It's a
shame that we have to work a lot harder and eat less than others to get down to, or
maintain a desirable weight. That's what makes all this so difficult. When we do reach
our goal, we have probably accomplished one of the most difficult things we will ever do,
and can be pretty proud of it. We will be a better person for it. And BETTER than those
people that have it easy.
BECAUSE I'M REALLY THIRSTY: I recently read that sometimes people eat because
they are thirsty. Not recognizing that thirst, people will put something in their mouth
(often fattening). The next time you have a craving or feel hungry (but you shouldn't)
drink some water.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M EATING! Well, if you don't know, then at least you're
thinking about it! That's the whole idea, thinking about why you are eating before you do
it.
There are a lot of supposedly good ways to lose weight. Regardless of whether any
particular way is valid or not, the method or technique has to help you realize and think
about eating when you aren't really hungry. If the light bulb can at least go on in your
mind when you are getting ready to eat, and make you think about what you are doing,
maybe you can STOP. Go to the list above and try to figure out why you are trying to eat,
or worse, blow your diet.
IF YOUR STOMACH IS GROWLING, IT IS TIME TO EAT. If you are desiring food
between meals when your stomach is not growling, then it is not your primal instinct
telling you to eat, so don't. It may be one of the things on the list above, or something I
haven't thought of. If it is not one of those things, ASK yourself why you are eating.
Remember, you should give your body some kind of nourishment 2 or 3 times a day or
your metabolism will probably slow down, and hold on to your fat. And if you do have to
eat between "meals", be reasonable. Eat some fruit or cereal, the fiber in those items has
proven to be excellent for the heart.
WHY DO WE EAT WHEN WE'RE NOT HUNGRY?
The next time you go to put food in your mouth, ask yourself a question. Are you
REALLY hungry? Does your body really need food now? That snack now? That second
portion at dinner?
If you find yourself answering that question with an honest "NO", then determine
"WHY" are you are going to eat when you're body is not really calling for it:
I'M BORED. Sometimes we are just bored and don't have anything better to do. When
this happens, and you start to walk into the kitchen, take a detour to another part of the
house. Do a small chore as "reward" to yourself. Or, if you are a masochist, look at is as a
punishment for almost eating for no reason. Or go for a small walk. That small bit of
activity walking or doing a chore will have quite the opposite effect of having gone into
the kitchen. You are establishing a new habit pattern that will serve your best interests for
life.
IT TASTES GOOD. Yea, a lot of times it does! Especially with my wife cooking; good
thing she cooks healthily as well as tastily. But sometimes we are eating anything we can
find in the kitchen, even if it really isn't that great tasting (like fat or sweets). If you are
going to do dieting, eat food that you really enjoy. Eat less of it, and savor it. And even if
it does taste good, it is no reason to keep eating after your belly is full, especially if you
are trying to lose weight. We have to learn when to "say when". Generally, that's a few
bites before that really full feeling. That's because it takes about 20 minutes for your
brain to realize that it real is full.
I AM ALONE. A lot of times, when I find myself alone I say to myself "TIME TO
SNEAK SOMETHING!" Sound familiar? Isn't it funny how as soon as we are alone in
the house, we sneak into the kitchen for a full-blown raid. We must think that if nobody
sees us eating, we won't gain any weight. One favorite time is when everyone else is off
to bed. Then we load up our stomach with food and sleep with a full stomach. That's selfdestruction!
IT'S BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST. It may
be true, but if you can beat the weight problem, you beat the past, and maybe it will help
you to come to grips with the problem. I have found the Atlas Activated Technique is
very useful.
MY MOTHER ALWAYS MADE ME EAT. My mother always told me about the poor
African children and laid a guilt trip on me. So I eat. Don't do that to your kids.
I AM STRESSED OUT. Now here is a pretty valid one for many people. Many times
during work or after work, I would be feeding my stress instead of my hunger. And it
does seem to help. But it's just treating symptoms, not the cause. Find and fix the cause(s)
of the stress problem and you will be way ahead of the game. Once you recognize the
source of the stress, you will be halfway there.
IT IS COMFORTING. This one goes along with being stressed out. It may go with
something else as well. Fix the problem causing you to want comfort, or find something
else to comfort you, if you can.
TV! I know what makes me want to eat ... TV! TV programs play too many delicious
food commercials that make it very tempting to run to the fridge and snack. Watching
food on a screen for some reason gives you instant desire to eat. And what makes it even
worse it that many people are usually just lying on the couch as they watch TV and
snack. Stop or limit watching TV, especially evening TV (or watch a rented movie with
no commercials). Better yet, use a workout video instead of any TV.
BECAUSE IT'S THERE! Give it away or get rid of it, or if not in your house, walk away
from it.
REVENGE: Some people eat when they are not hungry because a loved one or friend
constantly reminds them about what they shouldn't have been eating.
DINNER TIME: One of the main reasons I eat is that it is dinner time and my family is
hungry. Also, if I let myself get too hungry my wife gets a migraine. So plan your day to
eat at that time, just eat properly and plan healthy meals. If they doesn't like that, that's a
problem.
BECAUSE LIFE ISN'T FAIR!! Sometimes I look at other people. Some can eat anything
and not put on weight. I admit that sometimes I eat something, cookies, milkshake, etc.,
just because a family member or friend is having one. Like I said, life's just not fair. It's a
shame that we have to work a lot harder and eat less than others to get down to, or
maintain a desirable weight. That's what makes all this so difficult. When we do reach
our goal, we have probably accomplished one of the most difficult things we will ever do,
and can be pretty proud of it. We will be a better person for it. And BETTER than those
people that have it easy.
BECAUSE I'M REALLY THIRSTY: I recently read that sometimes people eat because
they are thirsty. Not recognizing that thirst, people will put something in their mouth
(often fattening). The next time you have a craving or feel hungry (but you shouldn't)
drink some water.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M EATING! Well, if you don't know, then at least you're
thinking about it! That's the whole idea, thinking about why you are eating before you do
it.
There are a lot of supposedly good ways to lose weight. Regardless of whether any
particular way is valid or not, the method or technique has to help you realize and think
about eating when you aren't really hungry. If the light bulb can at least go on in your
mind when you are getting ready to eat, and make you think about what you are doing,
maybe you can STOP. Go to the list above and try to figure out why you are trying to eat,
or worse, blow your diet.
IF YOUR STOMACH IS GROWLING, IT IS TIME TO EAT. If you are desiring food
between meals when your stomach is not growling, then it is not your primal instinct
telling you to eat, so don't. It may be one of the things on the list above, or something I
haven't thought of. If it is not one of those things, ASK yourself why you are eating.
Remember, you should give your body some kind of nourishment 2 or 3 times a day or
your metabolism will probably slow down, and hold on to your fat. And if you do have to
eat between "meals", be reasonable. Eat some fruit or cereal, the fiber in those items has
proven to be excellent for the heart.
WHY DO WE EAT WHEN WE'RE NOT HUNGRY?
The next time you go to put food in your mouth, ask yourself a question. Are you
REALLY hungry? Does your body really need food now? That snack now? That second
portion at dinner?
If you find yourself answering that question with an honest "NO", then determine
"WHY" are you are going to eat when you're body is not really calling for it:
I'M BORED. Sometimes we are just bored and don't have anything better to do. When
this happens, and you start to walk into the kitchen, take a detour to another part of the
house. Do a small chore as "reward" to yourself. Or, if you are a masochist, look at is as a
punishment for almost eating for no reason. Or go for a small walk. That small bit of
activity walking or doing a chore will have quite the opposite effect of having gone into
the kitchen. You are establishing a new habit pattern that will serve your best interests for
life.
IT TASTES GOOD. Yea, a lot of times it does! Especially with my wife cooking; good
thing she cooks healthily as well as tastily. But sometimes we are eating anything we can
find in the kitchen, even if it really isn't that great tasting (like fat or sweets). If you are
going to do dieting, eat food that you really enjoy. Eat less of it, and savor it. And even if
it does taste good, it is no reason to keep eating after your belly is full, especially if you
are trying to lose weight. We have to learn when to "say when". Generally, that's a few
bites before that really full feeling. That's because it takes about 20 minutes for your
brain to realize that it real is full.
I AM ALONE. A lot of times, when I find myself alone I say to myself "TIME TO
SNEAK SOMETHING!" Sound familiar? Isn't it funny how as soon as we are alone in
the house, we sneak into the kitchen for a full-blown raid. We must think that if nobody
sees us eating, we won't gain any weight. One favorite time is when everyone else is off
to bed. Then we load up our stomach with food and sleep with a full stomach. That's selfdestruction!
IT'S BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST. It may
be true, but if you can beat the weight problem, you beat the past, and maybe it will help
you to come to grips with the problem. I have found the Atlas Activated Technique is
very useful.
MY MOTHER ALWAYS MADE ME EAT. My mother always told me about the poor
African children and laid a guilt trip on me. So I eat. Don't do that to your kids.
I AM STRESSED OUT. Now here is a pretty valid one for many people. Many times
during work or after work, I would be feeding my stress instead of my hunger. And it
does seem to help. But it's just treating symptoms, not the cause. Find and fix the cause(s)
of the stress problem and you will be way ahead of the game. Once you recognize the
source of the stress, you will be halfway there.
IT IS COMFORTING. This one goes along with being stressed out. It may go with
something else as well. Fix the problem causing you to want comfort, or find something
else to comfort you, if you can.
TV! I know what makes me want to eat ... TV! TV programs play too many delicious
food commercials that make it very tempting to run to the fridge and snack. Watching
food on a screen for some reason gives you instant desire to eat. And what makes it even
worse it that many people are usually just lying on the couch as they watch TV and
snack. Stop or limit watching TV, especially evening TV (or watch a rented movie with
no commercials). Better yet, use a workout video instead of any TV.
BECAUSE IT'S THERE! Give it away or get rid of it, or if not in your house, walk away
from it.
REVENGE: Some people eat when they are not hungry because a loved one or friend
constantly reminds them about what they shouldn't have been eating.
DINNER TIME: One of the main reasons I eat is that it is dinner time and my family is
hungry. Also, if I let myself get too hungry my wife gets a migraine. So plan your day to
eat at that time, just eat properly and plan healthy meals. If they doesn't like that, that's a
problem.
BECAUSE LIFE ISN'T FAIR!! Sometimes I look at other people. Some can eat anything
and not put on weight. I admit that sometimes I eat something, cookies, milkshake, etc.,
just because a family member or friend is having one. Like I said, life's just not fair. It's a
shame that we have to work a lot harder and eat less than others to get down to, or
maintain a desirable weight. That's what makes all this so difficult. When we do reach
our goal, we have probably accomplished one of the most difficult things we will ever do,
and can be pretty proud of it. We will be a better person for it. And BETTER than those
people that have it easy.
BECAUSE I'M REALLY THIRSTY: I recently read that sometimes people eat because
they are thirsty. Not recognizing that thirst, people will put something in their mouth
(often fattening). The next time you have a craving or feel hungry (but you shouldn't)
drink some water.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M EATING! Well, if you don't know, then at least you're
thinking about it! That's the whole idea, thinking about why you are eating before you do
it.
There are a lot of supposedly good ways to lose weight. Regardless of whether any
particular way is valid or not, the method or technique has to help you realize and think
about eating when you aren't really hungry. If the light bulb can at least go on in your
mind when you are getting ready to eat, and make you think about what you are doing,
maybe you can STOP. Go to the list above and try to figure out why you are trying to eat,
or worse, blow your diet.
IF YOUR STOMACH IS GROWLING, IT IS TIME TO EAT. If you are desiring food
between meals when your stomach is not growling, then it is not your primal instinct
telling you to eat, so don't. It may be one of the things on the list above, or something I
haven't thought of. If it is not one of those things, ASK yourself why you are eating.
Remember, you should give your body some kind of nourishment 2 or 3 times a day or
your metabolism will probably slow down, and hold on to your fat. And if you do have to
eat between "meals", be reasonable. Eat some fruit or cereal, the fiber in those items has
proven to be excellent for the heart.