Constructive consumption

Eating comfortably and positively - and without pre-set limits - is the route to a healthy life, says dietician and therapist Ellyn Satter.

Satter has published a new model called ecSatter, which she says encourages eaters to veer away from dietary restrictions and instead focus on the body’s own internal limits.

Barbara Lohse, a professor in nutritional science, notes that eating problems often stem from childhood, and to overcome feelings of anxiety or guilt, “You have to ignore how you feel about eating, just eat.”

Some may disagree with this all-encompassing model, especially in regards to those who are already obese or are unable to identify proper quantities of food to eat. Satter admits that effective eating habits often mirror an overall sense of well-being on the part of a person.

Sources in the weight loss industry agree that “the weight loss industry is full of hype and empty promises.” However, Weight Loss Resources, which advocates calorie counting –the opposite of what Satter encourages – explains its premise simply: “Eat more calories than you use you'll put on weight; use more than you eat and you'll lose it.”

However, many healthy eating plans often encourage a tiered approach. For example, strict guidelines are needed at first, but only to retrain the body and mind on how to eat properly. Once the tenets of healthy eating are ingrained, the plan is no longer a ‘diet’ but a ‘lifestyle’.

Four guidelines of a healthy approach to food are set out by Satter and Louse:

-“Take time to eat”: eat satisfying foods regularly, and pay attention to food.

-Look at food positively. Don’t think about staying away from, or avoiding, meals. Instead, approach as a provider.

-Take pleasure in the act of eating by selecting enjoyable food. Be relaxed.

-Listen to the body and tune in to the natural indications of hunger. Eat until full, but stop.

Scepticism of how those with eating disorders or weight problems will reach these goals may exist. However, positive reinforcement rather than negative reinforcement is the way forward, claims Louse: “If it was going to be successful to have people be uncomfortable and restritive with what they eat, just going by the rules for the nutrients and calories they need, we would not have an obesity problem.”

For more information about Ellyn Satter’s eating competence model and books on nutrition: www.ellynsatter.com

Professor Louse’s findings will be published this month in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour: http://www.jneb.org/