Breaking The Comfort Foods Habit

February 1, 2010

All living creatures are far more complex in a variety of ways than we often acknowledge. This is particularly true of humans and our patterns of eating. Most of us experience different eating habits at different times of the month. Hormonal changes, often brought on by stress are at the root of most of these shifting food urges. Often excessive food cravings are lumped together under the catchall category of “comfort foods.” But, as you might expect, there is no specific definition for comfort food. Mashed potatoes and meatloaf may come to mind to many, pizza or pasta to others, but perhaps it is just fair to say that what qualifies as comfort foods is those various foods, which give you comfort, ranging from udon noodles to potato chips.

But it’s essential to know that certain foods—chocolate being one—will cause our bodies to release mood-elevating hormones, which can trigger a “reward” mechanism, thereby making them far more tempting than others.

As it pertains to moods, however, what comfort foods do is to offer a distraction from something that causes us concern or unhappiness. That distraction is relatively brief; whether it’s a bowl of chocolate ice cream or mashed potatoes, once we are finished eating, whatever was troubling or upsetting to us comes back into focus.

Now, on top of our worries is the added concern and guilt of having overeaten.

What becomes quite obvious, once you stop to consider this cycle, is that there must be a better path to lasting comfort than one that runs through your kitchen. Here are six ideas that will help you to break that mood food connection:

First, be aware of your eating patterns. For a week, keep a simple record of what you eat, and when you eat. Learning to separate our actual physical hunger from emotional hunger is key to breaking the mood food connection.

Second, eat healthier snacks. Once you know what you’re consuming, you are ready to make a plan to avoid the pitfalls of mindless eating. Seeing when you tend to snack, should help you to better prepare for those times with healthy snacks that are at the ready. Whether that’s a handful of baby carrots dipped in a low calorie dressing, apples, bananas, a handful of cashews, or many other choices, the point is to reach for food that is good for you as opposed to food that is not.

Third, Don’t buy junk food for your fridge or pantry. Your best defense against comfort food, which in many cases is also junk food, is to not buy those products in the first place. If you have potato chips, cupcakes, ice cream, and more in the house, there is a good chance you’re going to eat it. Do yourself a huge favor; keep the bad stuff out of the house.

Forth, watch what you buy and when you shop. We all know the warning: “Don’t Drive Drunk.” But, you probably never heard the expression “Don’t shop in a funk.” The same goes when buying food. Hitting the grocery store when you’re down and thinking about comfort food is an invitation to buy many of the wrong things. Do your grocery shopping only when you’re in a positive frame of mind and there’s a good chance you’ll shop far more wisely.

Fifth, replace bad habits with good habits. There’s a good chance that for years you’ve reached for that chocolate ice cream when you’ve been down. Instead, when you’re feeling down, pick up that iPod and head out the door for a walk. Go to the gym, or go for a bike ride. Any kind of exercise gets you out of your troubles, and can act as a real mood enhancer. That bowl of ice cream, that couch, and that same sitcom episode shown once again are not going to brighten up your day.

Sixth, reach out to family and friends. Humans are for the most part, social creatures. We take comfort in talking through our frustrations and concerns. Think of a good conversation with an old friend as comfort food for the soul as opposed to comfort food for a stomach that is already full.

Posted in Diet & Fitness, Wellness