How to Enjoy Eating

Today, consumers are bombarded with numerous dietary messages, many of which often lead to unhealthy relationships with food such as avoiding or limiting food items and whole food groups. Eating "properly" is met with perceptions of control, monotony and bland. While, eating "enjoyably" comes loaded with feelings of guilt and fear, relating to getting fat, ill or worse; thereby explaining the fact that only 40% of people admit to enjoying food.

However, the issue of enjoying food is a complex one that requires individuals to trust and be comfortable with hunger, appetite and satiety.

Ellyn Satter, MS, RD principles to enjoying food are:

① Give yourself permission to choose enjoyable food
② Give yourself permission to eat enjoyable food in satisfying amounts
          (**satisfying amounts does not mean overindulging or gluttony)
③ Develop the discipline to have regular and reliable meals
④ Develop the discipline to pay attention to what you eat

Ellyn Satter highlights, applying these guidelines to food consumption can lead to:

☑ Foods no longer being forbidden but rather ordinary foods

☑ Larger portion sizes losing their appeal and

☑ Healthy foods becoming enjoyable when you eat them for pleasure rather than for obligation

Post Taken and Modified from:

Satter, Ellyn . 2011. The Joy of Eating. Weight Management Matters. Vol 9:11; p 2-3.

Thank you for reading! 

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References:

Taylor P, Funk C, Craighill P. Pew Research Center; 2006.

American Dietetic A. Nutrition Trends 2002: Final Report of Findings. Chicago, IL: The American Dietetic Association; 2002.

Rozin P, Fischler C, Imada 5, Sarubin A, Wrzesniewski A. Attitudes to food and the role of food in life in the U.S.A., Japan, Flemish Belgium and France: possible implications for the diet-health debate. Appetite. 1999;33:163-180.
Satter EM. Eating Competence: definition and evidence for the Satter Eating Competence Model. J Nutr Educ Behay. 2007;39 (suppl):S142-5153.