Thinking some more about eating styles

I've done a little looking around to see what other people think about your Myers-Briggs type and your approach to food, and it's been interesting.  Like any trip around the Internet, it had its highs and lows and a bunch of irrelevant side trips, but what the heck.  The journey is interesting.

In order to do that justice, I'll need to organize my thoughts and make links and stuff, and I don't really have time right now.  So instead, I'll babble about Introverts and Extroverts.  Or mostly Introverts, because I don't know much about Extroverts.  Not that that will stop me from speculating...

So this is what came from a conversation with an Introvert.  Introverts get energy from being alone.  My theory is that if introverts are around people for too long and don't get their "me" time, they might over eat to get energy somewhere else.  My I friend pointed out that he doesn't like to eat with other people.  That whole breaking bread community thing is an anathema to him.  (Word of the day)  And so, he isn't going to over eat in front of other people.

Now, think about this:  he is at a conference and around people all day and is low on energy.  He doesn't eat much if anything at the banquet lunch.  His energy is low.  What does he do?  Well, I would be eating Snickers bars all day, scarfing them in the corner when I got a chance to be alone.  And when I went home I'd probably eat cheese with potatoes and cheese.  And then I'd go to sleep.

And what about Extroverts?

I can see a couple of possibilities.  Say that an Extrovert is also at this conference.  She is getting lots of energy from the people around her.  She might forget to eat food, because she is so caught up in the flow of energy.  She might over eat to make the togetherness last (I'm picturing the never-ending pasta bowl at Olive Garden.) 

I also wonder if Extroverts eat more when they are alone because they are low on energy and feeling lonely?

I wonder how the other factors affect this.  An ESTJ might plan the meals, knowing she wouldn't eat unless she thought about it.  And INFP might eat in public because she didn't want to hurt any one's feelings.  And INTP might pack fruit so he wouldn't eat the candy on all of the tables.

I guess I'll keep thinking about this...

Eating and personality styles

I am taking a class at St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church about Life Gifts... life gifts, spiritual gifts, personality, values; and how to use them for God and community and ourselves.  Last Sunday, we talked about the Myers-Briggs scale.  In the past, I've thought that I was INTP --- introverted, intuitive, thinking, perceiving.  That means I get energy from being alone, I am a big picture information gatherer, I use logic and reason over feelings, and I like it loose and easy in the scheduling department.  I have recently decided that while I do value reason and logic, I usually go with Feeling.  I want everyone to be happy and get along, and work to make that happen.  Sometimes, especially if I'm around a whole lot of Fs, I have to channel the T and say "OK, that's enough whining, 'getting your feelings hurt' is not covered by worker's compensation."

Yesterday, when I was writing on my eating blog about how I came to Eating the Angel Way, I wrote that I used to eat to make others happy.  OK, I still do sometimes.  I was in line at a covered-dish lunch and the lady next to me said, "I made the beet and Brussel sprouts casserole."  So, of course, I put some on my plate.  Also, I'll take the food that no one else has tried yet, because I don't want the cook to be hurt.  Although I draw the line at fried chicken (WHAT?  EVERYONE LOVES FRIED CHICKEN!  WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?)  I've eaten sausage biscuits I didn't want because someone offered it to me, donuts, cake, hamburgers... you name it (except fried chicken).  Why is that?  Because I'm an F!  I eat like an F!

Is that cool or what?

Which made me think of some other things about food and eating and personality styles.

For instance, as an NP, I love Eating the Angel Way, except the food diary.  I wonder how a Sensing, Judging person (who would want an orderly, step-by-step process) would deal with ETAW?  Oh wait, I've seen it.  They keep the food diary religiously, then put their colors of food in a chart (I do love me some excel) and then plan how to eat a rainbow and white light food every day. 

Is that cool or what?

I wonder how other traits affect the way we eat? 

I eat more when I have to be around people and don't get my quiet time.  If I don't get my solo-energy boost, I have to get it from food.  Preferably cheesy mashed potatoes.  I wonder if Extroverts eat more if they are stuck by themselves?

I bet somebody has thought of this.  I think I'll use my LifeGift of research and check it out.  I'll let you know what I find.

Eat well, drink water, keep your feet warm.