Trick or Treat! When unplanned food is the fright - Nourishing Bits and Bites, LLC

Trick or Treat

When unplanned food is the fright of the night

Halloween fun is supposed to be about ghosts and goblins and bumps in the night. But for some, the candy and the upcoming weeks of treats that blend into the holidays can feel more frightening. If that’s you, consider the following tips.

Unanticipated eating can throw a wrench into the best laid plans. But that doesn’t mean it has to be a “battle.” Sharing food with other people is an amazing part of the human experience. Eating with others actually makes food taste better! But for many, fear of food and weight makes it hard to engage with and around food. Many try to “make-up” for treats whether by skipping meals or overexercising. While that might calm your mind, it does little to help you feel satisfied and enjoy the experience.

Eat sufficient, balanced fuel every 3-5 hours.

The human body is designed and works best when properly fueled every 3-5 hours. Going longer than that often leads to hormonal changes that increase cravings, make you eat faster, and make it harder to feel full / satisfied. If you find yourself hungry more often than 3 hours, consider if you’re giving your body adequate, balanced nutrition. Not eating enough will leave you hungry similarly to having a meal without a balance of starch, protein, and/or fats.

Focus on sleep.

As schedules ramp up for many, sleep often gets put on the back burner. But not getting adequate sleep changes makes food more impulsive and less thoughtful. It also increases cravings for sugar and caffeine in order to stay awake and alert.

Manage stress.

While we can’t always control what happens around us, we can work on our response to it. In regards to food, it’s important to be aware that stress (whether short term or long standing) not only changes hormones in the body that change food preference but also serve as a coping and distraction tool. That doesn’t mean using food to cope is bad – that’s part of being human. But blaming yourself for “lack of self control” when it’s really about “I need support” is unfair to yourself.

Stop the food shame.

Emotional eating (eg, eating food for reasons other than physical hunger such as pleasure, celebrations, emotions etc) is not wrong. It’s part of the human experience. Feeling guilty because you had chocolate takes the pleasure out of the experience. And lying to yourself that “this will be the last time” also makes you more likely to eat past the point of enjoyment. And let’s be honest, there will be more cookies. Additionally, trying to “exercise off” the treat not only takes the joy out of food (and exercise), it also sets you up to be more hungry in the long run. Instead, please enjoy the full food experience.

Real World Practice.

These tips are all well and good, but let’s be honest – we live in the real world where a perfect stress level and eight hours of sleep can feel rare. That doesn’t mean all is lost and we’re stuck feeling controlled by snickers. Slowing down before engaging with food is a wonderful way to check in to see what’s driving your food desires.

So before you dip into the office bowl of candy, take 1 minute to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and gently explore your physical and emotional state.

It could be biological hunger. Consider, “when was the last time I gave myself a real, balanced plate of food? If food is needed for fuel / energy, can this [ insert food ] be a part of the experience (not take the place of)?”

If it’s not biological hunger, maybe something else is at play. “What part of me is eager to enjoy this food right now?”

Eyes – Do I want it because I just saw it / keep seeing it as I walk to the front desk?
Hands – Am I looking to keep my hands busy / occupied?
Mind – Am I looking for a reason / permission to take a break and step away from or avoid a challenging experience?
Mouth – How well does it satisfy the flavor, texture, temperature that I’m really looking for?
Heart – Am I looking to connect with other people at the office? Will it help me feel calm and comforted? Do I need a reward / acknowledgement for a tough day / experience? Do I need love, self compassion, and self care?

None of these reasons are wrong to engage with food. Instead, it’s a gentle reflection to begin exploring underlying needs that can get tangled up with our food motivations. If you do decide to enjoy food for whatever reason, make sure to give the experience some of your attention, instead of nibbling on it in the background while reading blog posts (ahem). More on distracted eating another time.

And if you’re finding yourself particularly challenged around foods, perhaps the next post is right for you.

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