An eating habit forms without us even realising it. A habit is defined as, routinely undertaking a task or action on autopilot. These types of decisions may also be referred to as mindless or unconscious. In this post, I reveal three myths about eating habits.
Three myths about eating habits
#1 Weak will power
The formation of habits does not relate to your level of will power. And even when you embark on a journey to change them, will power has very little effect.
Unfortunately, this perceived lack of will power is harmful to your feelings of self-worth and self-esteem.
Especially when you have tried in the past to change the way you eat with diets.
Maybe you have experienced this?
Diets focus on food, not your drivers or reasons for eating.
Habits form when you repeat a task or action without pausing to consider whether it is the best choice for now.
So an eating habit strengthens when you do not consider your level of hunger, and reasons for eating.
It is a habit, that is all.
Your eating habit has nothing to do with your will power or worth.
#2 Food focussed
Eating habits do not usually form because we “love” a certain food, or we just love to eat.
Many of our eating habits start within our first 10 years of life.
You may not even realise that you have them.
Food habits are usually lifestyle, health, and stress-related. And as children, we usually adopt the eating habits of our family.
Busy at work, skip lunch, and buy take away meals on the way home from work?
Feeling upset so you eat your comfort food – chocolate, ice-cream or chips?
Food can be used as a distraction or comforter, just like other activities e.g. running or substances such as alcohol or cigarette smoking.
Our eating habits can be the doorway to greater healing and transformation when observed and managed with self-compassion.
If you would like to start transforming your eating habits, consider an Eating Habit Profile call. Learn more here.
#3 Can’t be changed
If you have tried many diets to change your eating habits, then I understand that you might believe that habits cannot be changed.
Habits can be transformed into healthier choices.
But we have to focus on the right thing.
Unlike other health and wellbeing programs, Eating for You does not encourage the formation of new habits.
If we refer to the definition of a habit, we don’t want to ever make eating choices on autopilot.
So how do we avoid replacing old habits with new ones?
Eating for You promotes a mindfulness approach which encourages:
- Pausing.
- Checking in with your physical appetite and reason for eating.
- If you are hungry, considering what food you feel like eating and how much you might need.
- If you are not hungry, connecting your reason for wanting to eat.
Exploring these three myths about eating habits is your first step to understanding why you eat the way you do.
If you would like to change an eating habit and end the battle with food and your weight, then consider a Mindful Eating Discovery call.
It’s free because I understand that you have already tried multiple diets and programs.
The call focuses on one eating habit that you would like to change, and I get you started with one clear, actionable tip, so you can try out a new way of eating for free.