Why do you eat?

There may be obvious answers to this question, but why specifically do YOU eat?

Do you eat for different reasons at different times of the day or different days of the week?

Are you at home, work or socialising somewhere?

I have a list below of reasons that might be relevant to you, but I am sure that there are many more.

Bored

Nourishment & health

Hungry

Time of the day

Rumbling stomach

Socialising

Enjoyment

Forced by others

Commitment to time

Feel lightheaded/ angry/ dizzy

Can’t think straight

Emotional

To use up food near sell by date

Relaxing

To empty fridge before holiday

Because there is food available

Because food might not be available very soon

Just been paid

Celebrating 

Just woken up

Middle of the night hunger

Just been exercising

Eating competition

Need to put on weight

Like food

So why should you eat?

A correct answer - Nourishment and health. But that is not always possible or the correct answer and any of the above might apply.

Food does not just provide the energy for your body, it may also have an effect with your brain (1) and emotions. (2) 

If you changed your thinking so that you ate for nourishment and health, would that change what you ate?(3)

If you would like to know more, please arrange a consultation with me.

References

1. Gómez-Pinilla F. Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2008 Jul;9(7):568-78. doi: 10.1038/nrn2421. PMID: 18568016; PMCID: PMC2805706.
2. Spencer, S.J., Korosi, A., Layé, S. et al. Food for thought: how nutrition impacts cognition and emotion. npj Sci Food 1, 7 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-017-0008-y
3. Giuliani NR, Calcott RD, Berkman ET. Piece of cake. Cognitive reappraisal of food craving. Appetite. 2013 May;64:56-61. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2012.12.020. Epub 2013 Jan 9. PMID: 23313699; PMCID: PMC3711873.

Where do you eat?

Do you have a set location in your house that you eat in or does it vary?

Do you eat out, perhaps at work, cafés, restaurants or in the cinema where you might be eating with others?

Do you eat alone? Do you prefer to eat with others or alone?

Do you find some places more conducive to having a meal - when at a restaurant or café, would you feel comfortable if your table was outside, near the toilet or beside a window?

I have a list below of places that might be relevant to you, but I know that there are many more.

In a café

In a restaurant

At home

At work

At a desk

At a bowling alley

At a dining table

Train station bench

Park bench

Sitting on the ground/ in the garden

In bed

In the bathroom/ toilet

On the beach

Beside the pool

Other people’s houses

On a tray

At a side table

Using a ‘TV dinner’ table

Whilst cooking

On the floor

With others

Alone

Cinema

Whilst people watching

Does it matter where you eat? 

As long as you are comfortable, sitting down, relaxed and hygienic (which includes not eating in the bathroom/ toilet), your body should obtain some nutrients from the food that you are eating (1).

Eating with others might be more social than eating alone (2,3). 

Eating away from home might mean a feeling of occasion, but more calories might be consumed (4) and better ‘dietary quality’ is associated with eating at home (5).

Eating at home does mean that you have more idea about what is in your food (6).

If you would like to know more, please arrange a consultation with me.

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK597379/?report=printable
2. Glanz K, Metcalfe JJ, Folta SC, Brown A, Fiese B. Diet and Health Benefits Associated with In-Home Eating and Sharing Meals at Home: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 7;18(4):1577. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041577. PMID: 33562357; PMCID: PMC7915304.
3. Dunbar RIM. Breaking Bread: the Functions of Social Eating. Adapt Human Behav Physiol. 2017;3(3):198-211. doi: 10.1007/s40750-017-0061-4. Epub 2017 Mar 11. PMID: 32025474; PMCID: PMC6979515.https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/downloads/Qualitative_consumer_research_Eating_out_of_home.pdf
4. Mills, S., Brown, H., Wrieden, W. et al. Frequency of eating home cooked meals and potential benefits for diet and health: cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 14, 109 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0567-y
5. Ultra-Processed People - Why do we all eat stuff that isn’t food…and why can’t we stop?, 2023, Chris van Tulleken, Cornerstone Press.
6. James A, Lawrence B, O'Connor M. Healthy Eating as a New Way of Life: A Qualitative Study of Successful Long-Term Diet Change. Inquiry. 2022 Jan-Dec;59:469580221090397. doi: 10.1177/00469580221090397. PMID: 35418258; PMCID: PMC9016560. 

When do you eat?

We all get out of bed at different times and some of us might be hungry almost immediately. Some of us might like to eat just before we go to bed at night.  

Should you eat continuously throughout the day or have three bigger meals (1)?

I have a list below of timings that might be relevant to you, but I know that there are many more.

Breakfast - 6 -10

Lunch - 12 - 2

Dinner - 5 - 9

Snack - morning or afternoon

Evening - before bed

Set times when out - restaurant

Times set by others - care home/ on holiday/ prison/ school/ work / celebration

Waking up during the night

On rising

In an 8 hour window

Three times a day

Two times a day

One time a day

Fasting for the day

When young children eat

Continuously throughout the day

Whilst cooking

When in the kitchen

When hungry

When family or friends eat

Does it matter when you eat?

If you are looking for better sleep, it might not be helpful to eat within 3 hours of going to sleep (2, 3). Eating within a 8-12 hour window might additionally be supportive for health (3).

Having some form of dietary restriction, time without eating, might additionally be beneficial (4).

If you would like to know more, please arrange a consultation with me.

References

1. Paoli A, Tinsley G, Bianco A, Moro T. The Influence of Meal Frequency and Timing on Health in Humans: The Role of Fasting. Nutrients. 2019 Mar 28;11(4):719. doi: 10.3390/nu11040719. PMID: 30925707; PMCID: PMC6520689.
2. Iao SI, Jansen E, Shedden K, O'Brien LM, Chervin RD, Knutson KL, Dunietz GL. Associations between bedtime eating or drinking, sleep duration and wake after sleep onset: findings from the American time use survey. Br J Nutr. 2021 Sep 13;127(12):1-10. doi: 10.1017/S0007114521003597. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34511160; PMCID: PMC9092657.
3. Manoogian ENC, Chaix A, Panda S. When to Eat: The Importance of Eating Patterns in Health and Disease. J Biol Rhythms. 2019 Dec;34(6):579-581. doi: 10.1177/0748730419892105. Epub 2019 Dec 8. PMID: 31813351; PMCID: PMC7213043.
4. Mattson MP, Allison DB, Fontana L, Harvie M, Longo VD, Malaisse WJ, Mosley M, Notterpek L, Ravussin E, Scheer FA, Seyfried TN, Varady KA, Panda S. Meal frequency and timing in health and disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Nov 25;111(47):16647-53. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1413965111. Epub 2014 Nov 17. PMID: 25404320; PMCID: PMC4250148.

How do you eat?

When your fingers, fork or spoon reach your mouth, what happens? Do you rush to get your food inside your stomach or take time to taste every morsel?

Do you talk and eat? 

Do you actually taste your food?

Does eating make you feel good?

I have a list below of suggestions that might be relevant to you, but I know that there are many more. 

Quickly

In a rush - lack of time

Don’t chew well

Some chewing

Lots of chewing

Slowly

Talk and eat at the same time

In a stressful situation

Very relaxed

Whilst reading

Whilst doing puzzles

Whilst watching the TV/ Internet

Alone

In a group

With family

Mindfully - being aware of the food

Not noticing what you are eating

With mouth open

With lots of liquid

Slowly to make food last longer

Does it matter how you eat?

When we eat, the teeth and saliva in your mouth get to work to start the process of digesting your food (1). The more we chew, the more satisfied with the amount of food eaten, we may feel (2).

Eating with other people may result in discussing memories and laughter (3)!

Eating slower, by tasting and chewing more, may support better movement of food through your intestines (4).

If you would like to know more, please arrange a consultation with me.

References

1. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works
2. Sophie Miquel-Kergoat, Veronique Azais-Braesco, Britt Burton-Freeman, Marion M. Hetherington, Effects of chewing on appetite, food intake and gut hormones: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Physiology & Behavior, Volume 151, 2015, Pages 88-96, ISSN 0031-9384,
3. Dunbar, R.I.M. Breaking Bread: the Functions of Social Eating. Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology 3, 198–211 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40750-017-0061-4
4. Hamada Y, Hayashi N. Chewing increases postprandial diet-induced thermogenesis. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 9;11(1):23714. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-03109-x. Erratum in: Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 23;11(1):24483. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04257-w. PMID: 34887466; PMCID: PMC8660770.