Why Do We Eat? Part II

Last time we looked at social eating and the ways in which our childhood feelings around food can affect our relationship with it today. This time, let’s take that a bit further.

Eating for Enjoyment

When we approach food, we do so with anticipation. Very few of us see food simply as fuel, consuming only fluid with the required calorific and nutritional content – like the tasteless liquid in The Matrix! We expect enjoyment from it. Whether in the form of a rare steak or a vegan grain and vegetable casserole, we go to a great deal of trouble to find and prepare food – or buy it! – that tastes good as well as satisfying our hunger.

The sensual nature of food touches something very primitive in our psychological makeup and this is well known by marketers. Think about it: the Cadbury’s Flake adverts are pure sex; McDonalds adverts speak to the nurturer in us with their focus on nature and purity; those chocolate Easter bunny ads with their emphasis on the liquid nature of pure chocolate already have us salivating by the time we actually see the bell being hung around the bunny’s neck … we expect to enjoy the taste and texture of our food.

Think, too, of the nature of a “special date”. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it is no accident that most restaurants will be fully booked by 12^th February. Food = love and therefore many of us use it as a substitute when we feel unloved: our consumption of ice cream and chocolate rise in direct inverse proportion to the success of our love life!

By contrast, the movie “Supersize Me” not only showed us what was in the fast food we eat, but also the effect of eating it: liver disease, reduced immune function, weight loss and, surprisingly, addiction.

Addiction to food is a growing problem. Those who do not suffer from food addictions and its accompanying cravings fail to understand how compelling they can be. Many of us require something sweet after our main meal and assume that desire for it is simply a habit – one that can be satisfied with a piece of fruit. Unfortunately, many of us are unable to stop thinking about the “something sweet after dinner”, not least because of advertising through the media constantly reminding us of it.

Substances that produce cravings are not just, as we might expect, alcohol, drugs and nicotine, but also include refined sugar, bread, cheese, trans- and hydrogenated fats – many of which can be found in prepared meals and fast foods.

How an EFT Practitioner can help

Cravings are often seen as one of the easiest ways of showing what EFT can do – many practitioners (myself included) will arrive at a demonstration with a box of chocolate, give them out to those present and then proceed to direct a tapping session on removing the desire to eat them! Although you might think there would be a lot of disappointment that the audience don’t get to eat the chocolate, there is generally a great deal of laughter and appreciation for the fact that EFT is so efficient at removing such a seemingly impossible desire.

EFT practitioners are trained to help find the original emotional disruptions that result in an association of food with love and help facilitate a healthier relationship with food – look for AAMET qualified (like me) or Gary Craig Certified practitioners and ask to speak to one or two current or past clients to get a feel for how effective your prospective practitioner is. You can also invite a practitioner to demonstrate with you and a few friends in the terms outlined above. Many practitioners offer a free 15 minute phone or in person initial consultation. Others, like myself, offer to return the fee if they are unable to help.

I am available for personal and phone sessions, so wherever you are in the world my expertise is available to you.

You may also find this link useful: Xanthe Clay demonstrates recipes in ten minutes from carrier bag to table

Useful Setup Phrases for Food Cravings

You can find the “How to Tap” video here on this blog

Even though I really want to eat this [insert whatever it is here], I deeply and completely love and accept myself and how I feel

Even though I must have something sweet after dinner, I deeply and completely love and accept myself … or at least I want to …

Even though it’s not safe for me to lose weight, I deeply and completely love and accept myself