This article was given with permission to GalTime by Lori Reamer, RD, author of The Food That Fits: A Guide To Mastering Your Food Style.
Eating should be a source of pleasure. If you eat something and you are not satisfied, what do you do?
You think to yourself, "That was boring, what else can I find?" until you hit the sensory qualities in food that bring a smile to your face and to your taste buds.
In essence, if you zero in on the foods you find satisfying early on in your eating experience, you may, in fact, eat fewer calories in your pursuit for pleasure.
Happy eaters can experience easier digestion. If you eat under stressful circumstances, your body produces different neurotransmitters and hormones than it does when you are happy.
And, trying to avoid negative associations with food is important to your long-term relationship with food. If eating at the dinner table always reminds you of fighting with your family, try to "table" the conflicts for another time.
Related: 4 Eating Habits of Healthy Families
An older study that looked at iron absorption in Thai and Swedish populations noted that iron absorption was greater when each of these groups ate culturally familiar food than when they ate the food from the opposing culture.
One theory is that the culturally familiar food was comforting to each group which contributed to their happiness and the ability to absorb nutrients.
So, if being happy on fewer calories, enhanced digestion and greater nutrient absorption interest you, I encourage you to ask yourself if you are a happy eater. And, if you're not, what changes can you make to become one?
Realize that this is similar to being satisfied with your purchases in other areas of your life. When you find the right blouse, scarf or purse, don't they put a smile on your face every time you wear them?
Happy Eating to you!
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