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Fast food addiction: tips to get rid of
“You have to eat in order to live, and not live in order to eat” – the thought expressed by Socrates before our era, and today does not lose its relevance. Pampering yourself with cake after a nervous meeting? Can’t live without pizza, rolls or hamburgers? Do you feel guilty after another bout of “food aggression”? You may have become a victim of food addiction.
As a rule, food addiction is developed in relation to not the most useful food. I have yet to meet someone who furtively rewards himself with a baked carrot for a brilliant report. But I have a friend who empties a can of Coca-Cola every day – this is her “drug”. Another friend of mine, staying late at work, always dines on pizza in a nearby cafe – do not stand at the stove in the evening. True, she does not admit to her husband in these forays into a pizzeria: “Honey, have dinner today without me – no appetite!”
Our passion for fast food is of concern to scientists, who began to actively study the phenomenon of food addiction ten years ago. Research confirms that junk food cravings can spiral out of control at some point.
The mechanism of addiction formation is based on the fact that food has become one of the sources of pleasure at different levels.
Aesthetic. Fast food tastes better to us than ordinary homemade food because it is aesthetically more attractive. To do this, fast food restaurants use all available tools: the combination and use of “appetizing” colors, playing with different food textures, original presentation, lighting.
Physiological. Fatty and sugary foods have been scientifically proven to stimulate the brain’s pleasure centers and the production of dopamine, the pleasure hormone.
Chemical. Quick meals contain many flavor enhancers. For example, monosodium glutamate, which makes the taste of foods richer and brighter. By acting on certain receptors, it causes chemical dependence. After that, ordinary dishes seem bland, tasteless.
That is why food addiction “progresses” in autumn and winter: in conditions of shorter daylight hours, we are more inclined to please ourselves in all available ways. In addition, in winter, the body is tuned to absorb more fatty food: it warms up better, gives a feeling of satiety for a longer time.
5 signs your relationship with food is becoming unhealthy
1. Your willpower self-destructs at the sight of a certain product.
2. You perceive food as a reward: you bite into trouble, set yourself up for an unpleasant task.
3. You try to indulge in the temptation alone, you have no desire to share the “tasty treat” with anyone else.
4. You feel guilty after a bout of “food aggression”.
5. You experience an “illusory” feeling of hunger: for example, a hearty meal seems incomplete to you without dessert. Or the appetite wakes up from the mention of a favorite product.
The harm of fast food is well known. Consuming the next portion of french fries, you know everything about fat, excess sugar, calories, the threat of diabetes, obesity, etc. But giving up fast food is difficult: as with any addiction, there is a withdrawal syndrome.
Psychologists advise you to analyze in what situations you are attracted to tasty things. What hidden fears, anxiety make you seek solace in food? Whenever possible, such situations should be minimized. If this is not possible, you need to find a safe analogue of pleasure.
Secondly, you should understand your menu. A well-fed person is less susceptible to temptations. Therefore, your task is to provide such a diet in which you will not feel hungry.
Third, any tough restriction provokes a riot. You should not give up your favorite harm once and for all. Once a month you can have a cheat meal – when you can afford anything. True, it is possible that your favorite dishes will not seem so divine to you: taste buds quickly adapt to changing eating habits.