What type of Foodie are you?

-Megha Menon

I know that you know that we all know about our “Healthy” food.

Most of us have been taught to believe that food is simply needed for energy and important nutrients essential for the functioning of the human body. Of course, this is true, but there’s more to the equation. We have started to connect to food as a fundamentally rewarding behavior with a close link to our moods and emotions. Like did we ever imagine that food could make us feel good, tempted, and leave us satisfied?

So here comes the other half to the story, who are we as eaters? And most importantly are we eating right? (Here comes, Existential crisis! Who are we?)

A diet conscious attitude is not a very strong trait especially in a diverse country like ours where food is offered, served, and eaten with great pride and joy. But amid all this have you ever pondered upon the type of eater you are?

1. Emotional Eater

This is you if you turn to food when you’ re happy, sad, stressed, or got nothing to do. Emotional eaters should find other ways to cope.

2. Unconscious Eater

If you don’t’ realize when you take a bite or finish a piece of cake then you’re certainly an unconscious eater.

3. Habitual Eater

It’s the same every day with little or no deviation from the routine. The problem with this is you burn out and when you do, that can lead to binge eating.

4. Critical Eaters

Critical eaters have buckets of knowledge about food and fitness but tend to get caught up in the rigid rules they’ve set for themselves.

5. Sensual Eater

They enjoy trying new food and enjoy food with little thought. If you're a sensual eater, you have to be mindful of portions.

6. Energy eater

An energy eater works out and eats at the same level. It’s a burn and eats process which could up in overfeeding.

Not your professional diet trainer but a tip: Don’t restrict yourself to a single pattern!

We always try to set diet rules for ourselves but the typical cognitive behavior or self-defeating thoughts like “it’s too hard and “just one more bite” don’t help us. The environment also tricks us in too many ways to believe a certain normal.

1. For say Big packages, servings and super-sized meals suggest big portions as normal.

2. According to the horizontal-vertical illusion, our brain focusses on the height rather than the weight though short and wide vessels contain more.

3. We find it hard to refuse buy 1 get 2 offers and typically buy 30-100% more and we eat more when there is stockpiling

Like everything else in life, the food diary also includes the right and wrong table.

Habit change 1 – Alert eating

Think about if you’re hungry or if your brain is tricking you to tempting stocked dangerous food, retrain your brain to accept a reasonable portion size as a routine, and most importantly don’t spoil healthy choices by adding unnecessary high fat additions.

Habit change 2- The brain game

Change your mind and not the environment. Use smaller utensils and make snacking inconvenient by either not purchasing or keeping them out of sight.

Habit change 3- Embrace the danger foods

Don’t run away from them. Ask yourself if you need to eat this and savor it if yes. Plan the danger time or the cheat days to soulfully relish food on particular days and finally go for good quality in whatever you eat rather than a heavy quantity.

I hope this was enough food for thought, to redefine your eating lifestyle.