What should happen to a person so that he refuses mouth-watering treats and prefers healthy and wholesome food to them? And in general – is it possible?
Svetlana Bronnikova, psychotherapist
“The answer is very simple – no way. Sellers of diets, “healthy eating” plans, and magic jars of “meal replacements” are trying to convince us that food is just filling up the energy deficit in the body. In other words, with some effort, a person is able to eat anything, as long as this “anything” gives a sufficient amount of strength.
In fact, this is not true, which science has known for a long time. There is a rather large element of hedonism in food, in other words, we eat not only in order to survive, but also for the sake of enjoying tastes, so that our senses – smell, sight, touch, taste – experience certain sensations. We need these sensations in order to get full saturation. The first observations on this subject were made back in the 60s of the last century, and subsequently the results of these observations became known as the theory of sensory-specific saturation. According to this theory, if you have a (biological) craving for a certain type of food, but you try to replace it with another product for reasons of “healthiness”, the chances of overeating increase exponentially – you will feel the need to continue eating the unpalatable replacement “in search of” the right sensations. . “Let’s take another bite,” the body whispers. “What if the next piece contains what we need!” So if you’re craving steak and almond muffin and you’re trying to munch on celery and chicken breast, you’re more likely to end up with a binge eating disorder in the near future. The way out can be found if you start practicing intuitive and/or mindful eating.”
Anna Yalovega, psychotherapist
“Delicious, complex, beloved food, really necessary for all of us. Prohibitions and restrictions on taste sensations inevitably end in “food breakdowns.” Eating behavior gradually becomes restrictive, “all or nothing”. Normal eating behavior is characterized by a sufficient variety of dishes and tastes with a favorable combination of them in terms of satiety, energy value and volume (taste is not discussed, it is mandatory). The body, normally, knows what, when and how much it wants. Some lucky people eat tasty and satisfying and stay slim, they just haven’t stopped “hearing” themselves. Everything is more complicated when this flair is lost due to eating disorders. It can be normalized through awareness and attentive, respectful attitude to one’s needs. But, strictly speaking, chicken breast with celery can be cooked oh-oh-very tasty!