The Joy Of Eating: I'll Have What She's Having

 

Negative Feelings Toward Food 

Do you enjoy eating?  I mean really enjoy it?  I have this one friend who gets practically orgasmic whenever we go to a restaurant together.  She loves everything she eats.  I envy her.   

 

Personally, I've had a rather negative relationship with food for most of my life.  I spent my childhood thinking of food as the enemy.  I was a very picky eater.  I mean P-I-C-K-Y.  About the only food I liked was chocolate.  The only vegetable I would eat was ketchup.  And I put it on everything.  Except the chocolate. 

 

Many nights I remained alone at the family dinner table, long after cleanup, refusing to eat what was left on my plate.  It was a battle of wills between my mother and I.  If I recall correctly, it mostly ended in a draw.  I would eat one more item (but not everything!) so we could both save face.  

 

As I got older, I at least graduated to junk food.  I spent my twenties eating like a frat boy.  I no longer thought of food as the enemy and instead was rather indifferent to it.  It was just fuel for the body so whatever was cheap, fast, and tasted good would do.   

 

A couple health scares in my thirties helped me to see the light and I finally started eating like an adult.  But it was a slow process that I'm still working on.  (For more information check out my related diet series "What is a Healthy Diet (Part 1) vs a Fad Diet (Part 2))". 

 

Even today, as I'm eating healthy meals and feeling good, I still can't say I love food (except chocolate).  I would like to though.   

 

Part of the problem is the guilt I feel when I eat something I know is "bad" for me.  So even if it tastes better than the healthy alternative (which it usually does) I just can't enjoy it. 

 

Apparently I'm not alone in this.  Americans have a lot of negative feelings towards food (e.g. fear, guilt, shame, judgment).  This could be what's sucking the joy out of eating for some of us. 

 

Benefits of Enjoying Your Food 

A U.S. News & World Report article entitled, Enjoy Your Food: It's Good for Your Health, talks about how Americans seem to think healthy and enjoyment are mutually exclusive.  When in reality there's a lot of evidence that eating-related pleasure, satisfaction and enjoyment are important components of healthy eating.   

 

The article lists the following three health benefits when you enjoy the food you eat: 

1. You'll digest your food better. 
2. You'll absorb more nutrients. 
3. You'll be satisfied with less.  

How To Enjoy Eating 

So how can we enjoy our food like my friend?  Well, we could start by taking a page from other cultures who, unlike Americans, are encouraged to enjoy their meals.  At the very least we could stop labeling foods as “bad” or “forbidden”. (I still need to work on this.) 

 

Some more tips from Lori Deschene in her article, How to Enjoy Food More: 7 Tips to Savor Meals, include the following: 

1. Simplify what you should be eating – to quote Michael Pollen in his book In Defense of Food, we should, "Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants."  If you’re eating a lot of healthy, whole foods you’re doing fine. 
2. Think moderation – have the things you enjoy, just don't overindulge.  Also, are you satisfied or stuffed after eating? 
3. Spice it up – Mix things up to make it more interesting. Try new foods, new routines, don't eat in the same place. 
4. Make meal preparation inclusive – if you have a family, involve them in meal prep or invite friends over to cook together.  My mom and I take turns cooking Sunday dinner for each other. 
5. Schedule leisurely meals throughout the week – make preparing and eating the meal the event for that night and don't rush it. 
6. Address your mindless eating habits – do you rush through your meals because you have a lot to do?  Are you eating for other reasons besides hunger?  Address these issues before you sit down to eat. 
7. Make every meal mindful – make a point to immerse yourself in the experience. Take deep breaths between bites and use all your senses. 

Mindful Eating 

Mindful eating came up a lot in my research.  Like this article.  Sometimes these articles get a little too spiritual for me.  All about honoring your food and respecting the planet, etc.  Nice philosophy, but I’m not looking for a transcendental experience.  I just want to enjoy my food more.   

 

That said, there are also some good practices associated with mindful eating that can help people, like me, find more pleasure in their food.  For example, eating slowly, without distractions, and noticing the food's color, taste, smell and texture.   

 

I just started experimenting with mindful eating.  But I have to admit I do enjoy my meals more now than I did with my old routine.  The one where I gulped my food down so fast I barely tasted it. 

 

It takes time and practice to form new habits.  You can start small with say an apple. Then a meal, two meals, and so on.  It may not always be practical or possible to slow down and enjoy your food, and that's okay.  But if you have the time and the inclination, give it a try and see if it makes a difference for you too.   

 

Is there anything you do to make eating more enjoyable?