During these stressful times, so many of us are struggling with over-eating, and we are not sure what to do about it. Let’s first discuss why, then discuss what we can do about it.
There are 4 eating styles that can be employed on any given day. The first is Fuel Eating. This is eating to give your body all the nutrition and support it needs to run at an optimal level. The second is Fun Eating. This is the eating we do to get pleasure. The third is Fog Eating. This is when a person eats without thinking, as if they are “in a fog.” And the last is Flash Eating. This is when a person feels like they can’t stop eating, even after they are full, or are not hungry.
Why Fun Eating?
The short answer is because we are bored! Not only are we stuck at home, during times of high stress and uncertainty, our bodies respond with a conservation effect. We lack energy and motivation, which makes us want to eat to get any type of pleasure or energy burst we can.
Why Fog Eating?
Can I say because we’re bored again? Not only can we find ourselves wandering around and just scavenging food as we walk through the kitchen (for the 10th time), but in our conservation of energy we lose some of our higher level thinking and problem-solving skills. We get a sort of “decision fatigue,” and don’t want to think about what to make for a meal, or how to cook, or what to get at the store etc. We just want to nibble and not feel hungry.
Why Flash Eating?
This one is not JUST because we’re bored. Flash Eating happens because we are angry, stressed, bored, lonely, or all of the above. This is emotional eating used to cope. It may start as Fun Eating or Fog Eating, but soon starts to feel out of control. Maybe we are so sure we will get relief and pleasure from the food that we keep eating, or maybe we got take out/fast food and feel like we have to finish the entire meal to get the most benefit.
So, let’s discuss what to do about it.
- Cut yourself some slack. Don’t beat yourself up over any of these eating styles. It’s not simply a lack of control, and you’re not the only one. There are reasons that this time is creating this issue for many people, and making yourself feel bad about it will only make it harder.
- Plan ahead. When you have some energy and time, create a plan for the week. List out and make available all the snack foods for each day. Plan simple relatively healthy meals that can be put together with minimal energy to combat decision fatigue.
- Treat yourself. Fun Eating is not BAD, it just needs to be in moderation. As you plan your week, be sure to include some treats that you will enjoy along the way.
- Look at your other coping skills. Take some time to figure out what other things you like to do, things that make you feel better, and start to put these actions into your daily routine. The more coping skills you can use, the less often you’ll eat to fill that void.
- Cut yourself some slack. I know I already said that! But our eating styles do not reflect who we are as people, and it says nothing about our personal character. Don’t attach how you feed your body with how “good” or “bad” you are. Each of us is doing the best we can in a very new and stressful situation, and that includes you too.