I've been thinking about little habits/behaviours we develop in relation to food. I'm one of those people whose parents made them eat everything on their plate as a child, ah we can blame childhood for so much can't we? Yes the whole nine yards, "you'll sit there until you eat that" mexican standoff that is so much fun for all involved. I even still associate the music of the 6pm news with dinner time - seriously, I'd hear that music and dread the battle of wills that would come!
Now, as an adult I rarely leave anything on my plate. I'm not very good at listening to 'hunger cues' to know when I'm satisfied, I just keep going until its all gone! I think 'dieting' both helps and hinders the situation. When I follow a meal plan I know exactly what portions I should be having, hence I'm not only entitled to eat the whole thing - I probably should or else I'd be undereating. I suppose now I manage the situation by continuing to 'volumise' my meals with fibrous vegetables. I put on my plate what I intend to eat and don't go back for more. You can see how this works at home but not so well at buffets...
I don't like to share either (lol). When I go out to dinner with my friends they often only want to order a couple of meals (less than one each) and just share them and I just don't understand that! Unless its tapas or that kind of menu.. I suppose if you're really not that hungry it might be a good way to save money and not waste food? I like to know that what is on the plate is mine and I can take my time eating it... maybe I'm afraid of not getting enough or missing out? I'm pretty sure this stems from childhood as well... Do any of you find yourselves eating too quickly for this reason?
I'm sure everyone has their own little habits with eating. What are yours?
5 comments:
Yeah I agree, parents seem to find it hard to let kids eat what they enjoy, and maybe encourage them to eat more fruit veg etc, but if your not hungry, you shouldnt be eating. I think it teachs bad associations with food to kids.
I come from the era of using food as a reward, i.e. if your good you get cake, if your good you get hot chips, and that shadowed me for ages, I wasnt able to kick the whole emotional side to my eating, I had been patterned into thinking food was a reward when you were good, not fuel for my body.
And i also agree with the sharing meals thing, I like to be able to take my time and enjoy my food, not feel like I have to hoe in so I get my fill.
Great post!
Oh dont get me started. I was never forced to clean my plate as a child but I always wanted to anyway. If the food tasted good (and lets face it, most of it did - my mum was a great cook)then I didnt know what was enough. Now as an adult I cam portion out my own meals and get it right but if I'm eating out I find it REALLY hard to leave food when it tastes good. It takes a big effort for me to push a plate away and say "enough" before its clean. Oh and I hate to share too :-)
Magda
OMG Steph - I am the same. I hate sharing my food!! LOL I am sure all my friends and family think I have "issues"!!
Awwww...come on girls.....sharing is caring.....right? NOT!!!! Especially not when it comes to food. Obviously, I like to have my OWN plate of food too. Over the years I have shared an entree or two, but not my main dish. Anyway, I am a tad fussy with my eating (always have been.....and yes mum didn't believe me when I said I didn't like certain things and made me sit at the table 'til I had eaten everything). I think this was some genetic issue that was passed to my mum, from her mum. Well thank god I have not been blessed with such a gene. My kids do get to have a so called 'special' after their lunch and dinner but the 'special' ranges from yoghurt, to custard, to jelly, to homemade iceblocks, to ice-cream, to fruit, etc.... One night my son even asked for a syrup sandwich after his meat and veg! I think he was going through a growth spurt!
So, I was saying that I am a bit fussy with my meals, so I don't think anybody would really want to share with me anyway!! LOL!!!!
hehehe... great post Steph. I agree with everyone and I reckon the 'not wanting to share' thing comes from dieting, cause i'm the same. when you are on a diet and you are sticking with set food portions, who the hell wants to give away a bite when you know it's all you are allowed to eat? the people that don't understand that are ones who have never had to diet, who have never tried to diet, or never stuck to a set eating regime i reckon!
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