There’s a meme going around that says post-pandemic you will either come out a hunk, drunk or a chunk. However, increasingly, it’s the last option that is becoming common. Blame it on WFH schedules or the fact that the fridge is so close to your work desk or that new age apps pander to all your food fantasies at the click of a button--whatever the reason, the truth is that we have become more sedentary and are eating almost double the quantity (as compared to our pre-pandemic days). Nutritionist and holistic wellness and food coach Anupama Menon says that this has led to food fidgeting. It involves eating fruit that is lying around the house, chomping on the last bite on your plate even though you are full, drinking milkshakes not to quench your thirst or fill your tummy, but because you feel like it, or succumbing to temptation and diving into that packet of nachos. Here’s a closer look at this new food phenomenon that’s adding extra kilos.
What is food fidgeting?
“Food Fidgeting is the act of inadvertently putting food into your mouth. It may also be a conscious act where you realise you are snacking when you don't need to. The food you fidget with may not be necessarily unhealthy, it is just unnecessary eating when you are bored or just see food; because you don't want to waste the last bit on a plate or maybe because you are stressed, watching social media/ OTT or just for olfactory satisfaction,” says Menon. We tend to constantly food fidget, sometimes three to four times a day or more. “While on the face of it, it may not seem too much, when you look at the bigger picture, it's small portions of food that add up to a fair bit of excessive calories and unintentional snacking,” she adds. It's the perfect formula for piling on the extra weight and making way for compromised digestion.
In a perfect world the gaps in between each meal should typically be about 2.5-3.5 hours (based on how heavy the last meal was). But a food fidgeter could eat more right after a meal. “It could lead to excess weight, a compromised gut (based on what you are constantly putting into your system), could result in food residue, causing inflammation over a period of time,” says Menon. And above all, a poorly developed habit of constantly eating which could get difficult to ride over.
Good food fidgeting
Unfortunately, says Menon, there is no good food fidgeting. “Food fidgeting is unnecessary eating that happens in between the main meals and required snacks which is uncalled for and is not justified by hunger,” she explains.
What can you do?
To stop food fidgeting, one must make an effort. “We have to be able to say ‘no’,” she says, adding, "Each of our brain hemispheres has a caudate nucleus that develops short-term and long-term memories. If we are used to reaching out and eating whenever we see something that is even slightly inviting, that becomes our habit. But we need to break that cycle. The more we stop ourselves from reaching out to food unnecessarily, the more adept we will get at that skill.” Regular practice will result in the ability to say ‘no’. In fact, experts believe that it will become a habit.
Remember, if you drink enough water throughout the day, try to adopt an active lifestyle, sleep enough and at the right time, these habits will contribute to minimising food fidgeting.
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