Emotional eating? Food is simply fuel, right?

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mojohowitz
mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Is it possible to remove the emotion and psychology we associate with food? Does food have to be comforting? Do we associate hunger with vulnerability? Why does cake make soothe my emotional pain? Why do we prefer fat to lean protein?

Why can't we treat food with less emotion and treat it more like fuel into an engine?

How would one go about doing that?

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  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Is it possible to remove the emotion and psychology we associate with food? Does food have to be comforting? Do we associate hunger with vulnerability? Why does cake make soothe my emotional pain? Why do we prefer fat to lean protein?

    Why can't we treat food with less emotion and treat it more like fuel into an engine?

    How would one go about doing that?

    Because that would require us to be completely rational beings.

    Our brains are hard wired to crave certain foods (especially fats, salt & sugar) as a result of evolution and certain types of food like chocolate have an effect on seratonin levels in your brain. Then, of course, there are the conditioned responses we have to certain foods........if you were good and ate your vegetables you got dessert etc etc. Humans are complex beings......

    While I strive to develop a healthy relationship with food I can honestly say I hope I never live to see the day when eating is no longer pleasurable.
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
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    While I strive to develop a healthy relationship with food I can honestly say I hope I never live to see the day when eating is no longer pleasurable.


    Why cling to that notion so tightly? We can cultivate plenty of things in our lives that deliver happiness to us. Friends, hobbies, music, art, spirituality, sex, etc. Why NOT view food rationally?
  • lb628
    lb628 Posts: 75
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    But if emotion was taken out of eating, I feel like eating wouldn't be near as enjoyable. Food is one of our few joys in life! However, I know it has its downsides too (trust me, i know!)...

    Seems like more of a philosophical question.
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
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    You could disconnect, but why take the joy out of something you have to do everyday, which often takes a lot of time to prepare and consume? I can eat healthy and find joy in my food.

    I don't think you want to take the joy out of eating. I think you just want to get rid of emotional cravings for food. They're completely different feelings, which is something I've been figuring out as I go along on my weight loss journey.
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
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    Do we eat to satisfy physiological cravings or emotional cravings? Or, are they inexorably entwined?

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