Enjoyable Eating: Diet Dos and Don'ts

Don't eat while standing over the sink, in front of the refrigerator, or while cooking.   Don't sacrifice healthy, regular eating in order to eat according to your hunger and satiety signals before they normalize. That is, if you feel hungry every five minutes, don't act on it. Conversely, if you don't feel hungry until 3:00 in the afternoon, eat your regular meals and snacks at the proper time anyway.   Don't compensate for overeating or bingeing by skipping meals, eating less, purging, exercising excessively, or taking laxatives or diuretics. This will just keep you on the Runaway Eating merry-go-round indefinitely.   Don't eat in response to your emotions.   Don't use alcohol or recreational drugs. These substances undermine your self-control and alter your perception. Cynthia Bulik, Ph.D., is the William R. and Jeanne H. Jordan Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a professor of nutrition in the School of Public Health and the director of the UNC Eating Disorders Program. Nadine Taylor is a registered dietitian and chair of the Women's Health Council of the American Nutraceutical Association. She is the author of numerous health books and articles. Reprinted from Runaway Eating: The 8-Point Plan to Conquer Adult Food and Weight Obsessions by Cynthia M. Bulik, Ph.D., and Nadine Taylor, M.S., R.D. 2005 Cynthia M. Bulik, Ph.D., and Nadine Taylor, M.S., R.D. (January 2005; $14.95US/$20.95CAN; 1-59486-038-6) Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735. Or visit their Web site at www.rodalestore.com.