Are you an automatic eater? Are you eating food just because it is there? Donuts brought in by a coworker, cookies at a meeting, or samples at the grocery store. Remember there are two reasons to eat:
- To fuel your body.
- To appreciate flavors
When you grab food because it’s in front of you, you’re not trying to appreciate flavors. In fact, most likely you already know how the food will taste, and often you don’t even pay much attention to it. As far as fueling your body in these circumstances the food offered does not provide the right balance of protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals to provide energy. It may even make you hungrier which leads to grazing and overeating later in the day. One way to look at this scenario is to have a policy that states “I don’t eat food just because it is there”, write it down and remind yourself of it often. This will help you to slow down and be mindful of your decisions around food.
~ Melissa Merrick, RD, LD