Eating should be a pleasure! There's nothing wrong with that.
For those of us who have been veteran over-eaters we may have missed that point. We're either binging so fast we don't enjoy it, or we're starving ourselves and dreaming about the food we're missing. Neither of those experiences is satisfying.
One way to have a satisfying dining experience is to only eat food that tastes good to you. Eating things you don't like isn't very satisfying and prompts you to keep on eating in an attempt to get satisfaction. This doesn't mean you should load down your food with all kinds of taste enhancers. (As we talked about in the previous habit, learn to like the natural taste of food.) We're talking about choosing the foods within a particular food group that you like more than other food in that same group - for example, apples vs oranges. Usually, a small amount of something that tastes good is more satisfying that a lot of something you don't like.
Another satisfying practice is to take a break and actually focus on eating! Most of us have developed the habit of eating while we're in the middle of something else... multi-tasking. This is not satisfying. Beware of eating while watching TV, surfing the web, driving, etc. Generally speaking, you will tend to eat more when you are multi-tasking because you're not paying attention to your physical cues of fullness.
Create a pleasant environment. Sit at the table, add music, candles, table settings, flowers, air freshener, etc. Enjoy the experience. Eat with someone you like, so you can enjoy the interaction.
Eat slowly. Chew your food thoroughly. Savor the tastes and textures.
Take pauses and check in with your body to see how hungry or full you are. Slow down when you are getting near the point of being physically satisfied.
When you've had what will be your last bite, push your plate away or put your utensils on your plate, or get up and take the dishes away... anything that signifies you're done with this particular eating experience. Don't be afraid to leave some food behind. Eating it will not save any starving children!
Now go and create a satisfying dining experience!
The 7 Sustainable Habits
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