Has the New Year gotten to you? You know what I’m talking about – that feeling of excitement in your gut as 2008 greets you with the promise that you can turn things around, shake off past mistakes and become better.And for many people, the dream for the New Year is about losing weight.It might be helpful to evaluate why we eat.At first glance, the answer to that question seems obvious – we eat when we are hungry – for energy and to sustain life. That’s partially right, but that’s not always the reason.The truth is that many of us eat too much. Our bodies simply don’t need all of the calories that we consume, and it shows in a physique that is less than svelte.Here are four basic reasons that people eat:
- Because we’re hungry – This one is obvious. We eat when our body tells us that it’s hungry and needing fuel. Just like the car lets you know when it’s time for a filler up, the body is great at letting us know that energy stores are low. Eating when hungry and stopping when full is a healthy thing.
- Because we’re emotional. Think back – can you remember a time when you turned to food after a stressful confrontation? Or how about when you’ve soothed the blues away by treating your sweet tooth? And it’s not just negative emotions that lead to emotional eating – many of us reward happiness with unnecessary calories as well.
- Because we’re social. “Come on, have a slice of pizza with us.” No one likes to eat alone, and so we feel obligated to eat with others. When eating becomes a social activity with no thought to the calories that are being consumed, only one thing will result: weight gain.
- Because we’re habitual.Some people find themselves relaxing in front of the television at the end of the day with a snack, associating watching television with eating. Maybe a trip to the vending machine during a break has become a habit.
