How to Rewire Bad Eating Habits (Anorexia, Binging, Snacking)

How to Rewire Bad Eating Habits (Anorexia, Binging, Snacking)

So, since it appears to be a reflex (a habit) that's perpetuating the anorexic phenotype. Telling them about all this terrible stuff going on in their body won't work, taking them away from all the images of thin people online won't work. What's going to work is intervening in the neural circuitry that's related to the habit itself. - AH

The tool I'm about to mention is not just for anorexia. It helps if you've just been eating too much, leaning more towards sugary foods, or needing food to focus. So, if you're struggling with any eating behavior lately, this is what you need to know.

Our eating habits are unconscious. That's why they're called habits. People telling you the positive/negative effects of the foods you eat doesn't help. Oops, I do that sometimes. But now I know it's ineffective! For real change to happen, we need to intervene with your thinking/acting during and before your indulgence in the food.

So how do we that? Interoception. The ability to look inwards and understand how your body feels and responds to certain things. It's a fantastic skill; especially for changing eating behavior. Learn what are the things that push you towards that habit. Like, the actual sequence of actions or emotions that lead up to you finally eating.

I'll use a personal example. 2 months ago, I started eating too frequently. After a lot of trial-and-error, I looked at what's actually going on. I wasn't actually hungry. Turns out, I would go get a snack when I'm doing hard or boring tasks. Just that self-awareness helped me reframe my thinking and, eventually, my behavior.

Anyway. For you, pay attention to things like quickening of heart rate, hyper acuity of focus, boredom, frustration. They could also be external cues: societal pressure, stress at the workplace, or lots of food available during the holidays.

So, if you have an eating habit you want to change, this is your reminder:

1. Notice what happens before you engage in that eating habit (ex. eating too much, too little, being shy, etc.).

2. Take a mental or physical note about what's going on internally and externally (ex. pain, impulsiveness, etc.).

3. Notice the next time you experience this thought/emotion.

Full explanation here​