Great interview in Salon with Dr. David Kessler, author of The End of Overeating. In this interview, he discusses how people who have problems overeating have problems with hyperpalatable foods–foods designed to be like “adult babyfood” as he calls it–because of their heightened reactions to environmental cues. Ambivalence about the food creates a preoccupation, heightening the reaction to the food once it’s eaten and setting the stage for the cycle to repeat itself.
He advocates rules to help dampen the ambivalence we feel around these foods. I’ve tried that with success, setting rules for myself about what I eat; for example, I have a rule that I won’t eat the junk people bring in to work, and I work on reenvisioning it not as yummy, but as revolting.
He also discusses how it’s harder to resist these foods when we’re tired or stressed, and how we need to plan for these times.
When we’re stressed, when we’re cued, the reward value of food increases. In some instances, we’re eating just to calm ourselves down. It’s very real.
What people need to do is to recognize what’s driving their behavior. It’s not that they can be perfect and never engage in that behavior, but if they know what’s driving that behavior, then they can at least take steps to plan for it and make it less harmful.
It’s this last part I need to work on. Anyone else read this book/interview and find it helpful?
