Have you ever found yourself mindlessly grabbing a bag of snacks and just eating? What about finishing off that big plate of chocolate chip cookies or going back to get more treats without even realizing it? I have. Many times. And every time I ask myself, why am I eating this?
Don't be so hard on yourself, there are bigger forces at play here.
Let's explore!
Too much information?
It is said that as consumers we need information to make educated choices. But when it comes to our own health choices we already have a lot of information.
We are bombarded with a lot of different messages not only about what to eat but also about how we eat. "You are what eat" was famously coined by the German philosopher Feueurbach which indicates that there is a value judgment to what we eat. At the same time we need to eat and we should also be able to enjoy our food, food is a social activity and often an important part of our daily lives and something around which our get-togethers and celebrations are organized. (Andersson).
Focusing on what we are eating when and how much can be very helpful for keeping a healthy lifestyle but it does not answer the all important question of why.
Research has shown that dieting can actually lead to overeating (Ogden). This seems unfortunate and may explain my many failed attempts at losing weight. There are many psychological reasons that help clarify why we eat more than we wish to. Understanding the why can be a good way to start making changes that will stick. Here are a few tricks your mind plays on you that I find interesting and has given me insight into my own food struggles.
The "what the hell" effect!
If you are trying to eat well to stay healthy or loose weight you may rebel against what is perceived as a restrictive diet. If you are anything like me you may think
"I already ate a cookie so I may as well eat the whole box". I have been there, and done that.
Many times. Researchers call this the rebellious state of mind, or the "what the hell" effect and it is a form of rebellion against a self imposed more restrictive diet (Ogden, pp.123-125, 127-129). After the loss of control, where you find yourself eating the whole tub of ice cream, feelings of defeat may set in. I have found myself thinking often "what is the point" or "I can't do this so I may as well give up". Those feelings in turn lead to negative emotions and potentially low self esteem.
What comes first, the negative moods or the overeating?
Research shows that there is a strong correlation between low self esteem and overeating.
Negative emotions can be a trigger for overeating. Those who overeat may be doing so to mask negative emotions because when you eat certain foods you get a temporary boost which can help make you feel better, for a while at least. Researchers call this the masking hypothesis (Ogden).
At the same time those who are constantly trying to lose weight or are on a diet report having concerns about their weight and appearance and may suffer from low self esteem and negative body image. There also seems to be a relationship between chronic dieting and overeating, binge eating and a failure to lose weight over time (Polivy & Herman, 2005) . Which leads us back to our rebellious minds and overeating to mask our emotions.
Ouff...no wonder losing weight is so hard.
It is really hard to know what comes first some times, am I making poor food choices because I am feeling bad, or am I feeling bad because I keep making poor food choices?
So...
It appears it is not as simple as just not eating something or making "better choices". Bigger forces are at play here. What I have learned is that it is not my fault that I have these extra pounds, and feelings of guilt are not helpful (cue negative emotions that trick you into eating more). What has also been shown through research is that those who manage to keep a successful diet, either by losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, report improved psychological and social functions as well as mood (Polivy & Herman, 2005). Which gives me hope that it is possible to break out of the circle and find a balance.
References:
Andersson, S.I. (2009). Hälsa och Psykologi. Lund: Studentlitteratur.
Ogden, J. (2012). Health Psychology. A Textbook. Berkshire: Open University Press.
Polivy, J., & Herman, C. (2005). Mental Health and Eating Behaviours: A Bi-directional Relation. Canadian Journal of Public Health / Revue Canadienne De Sante'e Publique,96, S43-S46. Retrieved March 15, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41994472.
Comments