Human eating behavior is a stable behavior learned over many years. Precisely because it has been established over decades due to experience and learning processes, it is not easy to change it again. But it is possible! Changing one’s eating behavior means learning new behaviors related to food and replacing the existing, “old” habits with others. This process requires constant practice of the new behaviors and therefore time and patience with yourself.
What influences eating behavior?
How and what food one eats is influenced by four different areas. These all affect the individual’s eating behavior in different ways. They influence the motives of the behavior as well as the choice of food. These areas of influence are:
- Biological factors (genetic factors)
- Emotional factors (for example, eating when stressed, eating when unpleasant or even pleasant feelings).
- Cognitive factors (thoughts, evaluations, interpretations, knowledge, attitudes, sociocultural norms).
- Individual learning processes (habits, approach to food since childhood, sociocultural norms).
How can I control eating behavior?
The following tips will help you control your eating behavior and eat consciously, not just out of habit:
- Don’t do anything else while you are eating! If you are doing other activities at the same time as eating, such as reading or watching TV, such activities will combine with eating and trigger eating habitually. Moreover, you cannot concentrate on two things equally. So do something else at the same time as eating, you take calories that you do not even consciously enjoy.
- Always eat in the same place! Many people have the habit of eating in a variety of places, for example, standing, walking, at the desk, in the living room in front of the TV, cooking, etc.. Through this behavior, all these different places can become potential triggers for psychological cravings. At the same time, through this behavior, food again does not get the attention it deserves. So choose a place at home that is comfortable for you, where you eat regularly. Combine this strategy with the previous one by eating at home in the future always at there and meanwhile do nothing else.
- Plan your meal times! Create a meal plan that suits you, wherein you set your respective meal times. Eating regularly throughout the day will help you pay attention to what and when you eat.
- Do not eat the whole plate empty! This behavior learned by many increases the likelihood that you eat too much, because an external cue (empty plate) rather than the internal cue of hunger and feeling full serves as a signal to stop eating.
