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Understanding Non Hungry Eating: one piece of the puzzle for achieving your most comfortable weight

One of the most common techniques our Lifestyle PeriMenopause Dietitians use with clients is a range of strategies to help them identify their patterns of Non Hungry Eating, also known as NHE.

WHAT IS NHE?

 Non hungry eating is eating when you aren’t physically hungry for food.

HOW CAN I TELL IF I DO ANY NHE?

 Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do I usually eat a piece of cake that someone has baked for me even if I am not hungry, because I don’t want to offend them?
  • Do I finish what is on my plate when I am eating out, even if I feel full before all the food is finished, so that I don’t waste it?
  • Do I ever overeat a food because it is really delicious? (E.g. sometimes it is hard to eat just one Tim Tam!)
  • Do I ever eat something like a chocolate bar or have a few glasses of wine after a really long, stressful day to make myself feel better?

These are just some examples of NHE – and there are many more!! Some NHE is normal and many people do it. When we end up doing a lot of NHE it can be hard to maintain a comfortable weight and it may also contribute to weight gain.

WHAT ARE SOME TIPS I CAN USE TO REDUCE MY NHE?

  • Question your hunger levels before eating. Do your best to only eat when you are physically hungry.
  • Don’t restrict foods; tell yourself, “I can have it if I want it, but am I really hungry for it?
  • Avoid eating when you are distracted (E.g. in the car, in front of the TV, when you are working) as it is hard to really assess hunger levels when you are doing other things.
  • Eat off a plate. Don’t eat out of packets as you can’t see the volume you are eating when you do this. This will help increase your awareness of how much you are eating.
  • Keep a food diary and also record your hunger levels before and after meals and snacks.
  • If you are consuming high calorie foods and fluids to comfort yourself (E.g. after a bad day) consider other options other than eating to comfort yourself such a going for a walk, taking a hot shower or long bath, talking to a friend or streaming an episode of your favourite show.

If you would like to learn more about identifying your NHE triggers, strategies to reduce NHE episodes or how to eat mindfully make an appointment here.

To read more about NHE and other techniques to help you be the healthiest you can be, resulting in achieving and maintaining a comfortable and healthy weight without being deprived of food or losing quality of life AND to enjoy food without feeling guilty, check out Dr Rick Kausman’s article here.

 

 

IMAGE CREDIT: Isabelle Fischer/Unsplash

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: 5 red apples in a row against a grey background

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Seven Quick and Healthy at-home Lunches

With the mental load that so many of us are carrying it’s no surprise some of us fall into a meal-time rut.

Eating regularly and not skipping meals is important for many reasons. Regular meals help punctuate the day, especially if you are unable to get out of the house often. As well as the usual reasons we hear (keep healthy, fight off sickness, keep energy levels up, keeps our minds working, boost our mood), it also gives us more opportunities to nourish our body.

High quality, regular meals help keep us at our peak during perimenopause.

There’s a reason that “enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from the five food groups every day” is one of the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Eating a variety of foods from the 5 major food groups provides a range of nutrients to the body, as well as keeping your diet interesting with different flavours and textures. Because different foods provide different types and amounts of key nutrients, it is important to choose a variety of foods from within each food group. As a bonus, choosing a variety of foods will help to make your meals interesting, so that you don’t get bored.

Need some lunch idea inspiration? Reward your palate and boost your energy levels by choosing from these 7 alternatives to sandwiches. Lifestyle PeriMenopause’s Principal Dietitian, Dr Shelley Wilkinson, shares some healthy lunch ideas in this article.

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