It’s Only Chewing Gum… or Is It?

31. July 2008 by Patricia.

Most of the diets I’ve tried in my “past life” as a yoyo dieter and binge eater restricted the number of calories I could eat, but gave me one loop hole: I could eat all the so-called “free foods” I wanted - cucumber, celery, carrots, sugar-free candy, popsicles and chewing gum. And I took full advantage!

Looking at these “free” foods from a strictly caloric perspective, this idea makes sense. Most diets are based on a reduced calorie intake. Once you’ve eaten your quota for the day, and you still want to put food into your mouth, what do you do? Eat calorie “free” foods of course!

I would like to propose to you that these “free” foods are not as innocuous as they might seem.

For any of us who have an issue with overeating or bingeing and who want to break free of these behaviors, we need to be curious every time we put an item of food in our mouth – even if it is calorie-free. Some questions to ask are: “What am I feeling?” “What’s going on right now?” “Am I truly hungry?” “What do I really need?”

I have given up eating chewing gum on a regular basis and now chew it very infrequently as a breath freshener. I realized that most of the time I pulled out a stick of gum, unwrapped it and shoved it into my mouth, I was suppressing a feeling I did not want to acknowledge. I began to understand that chewing gum soothed and calmed me down and helped me center myself temporarily. After finding other ways to get back to center, I now don’t need this crutch.

Whenever you reach for food – even the calorie-free variety – and you know it is not out of hunger, see if you can get to what’s really going on. I have found journaling, meditating and movement practices such as yoga all helpful.

Diet programs and advertisers often advise eating all the calorie-free foods you want. Go ahead, they say, it’s only chewing gum. But is it?

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