Personality Determines Your Attitudes About Food

Let’s face it: humans have a complex relationship with food. We use it for fuel, for comfort, to alleviate boredom, to celebrate. Some people are very circumspect about what, when and how much they eat; others consume with reckless abandon, treating all of life as a feast.

What accounts for these differences? Well, while culture and income have their influences, nothing influences our approach to food like our personality. Yep, just like in every other area of life, our choices are not fully free; they are dictated by how our personality views the world.

My Facebook friends know that I’m on a Daniel fast, so this topic naturally sprang to mind. As a Seven, it’s certainly easier to do a Daniel fast (no meat, dairy, sugar or processed foods) than a total fast, yet my options are severely limited – a tough thing for someone whose Basic Fear is of being trapped in deprivation.

That’s just part of the Seven “story” about food. Let’s take a quick look at how each Type approaches food, keeping in mind that there is room for standard deviation. Exceptions will occur here, as in most areas of life.

One: They are the most prone to disordered eating (anorexia, bulimia), though any Type can succumb. Because Ones are always trying to be “good,” it’s rare to see them indulging in sweets or any other food they deem “bad.” Even if not disordered in their eating, Ones tend to bring morality to the dinner table, opting for vegetarianism, locally sourced foods only, etc.

Two: Because they tend to others’ needs at the cost of their own, Twos often use food for comfort. Many Twos—but not all—deal with being overweight. Dieting is quite difficult because it forces them to focus on themselves instead of others, something they are not comfortable with.

Three: It depends here on which Instinct predominates. Sexual Threes will do whatever it takes food-wise to be attractive. If that means extreme dieting, so be it. Social Threes will eat, at least in public, in whatever way will impress or win the favor of whomever they’re with. Try fried alligator? Sure, if that’s what their lunch date is doing. Self-Preservation Threes are addicted to efficiency, so being careful about or in sync with others about food isn’t a priority or focus.

Four: Vegetarian or vegan diets have their appeal here, though that’s not across the board. Fours may delight in creating amazing meals as a creative and sensual outlet, or they may, like Lord Byron, diet on raw onions to slim down. When less healthy, Fours become self-indulgent and prone to bingeing on unhealthy foods.

Five: These are the eat-to-live folks, for the most part. They may forget to eat and don’t seem to talk about food much. It’s part of their “I don’t need much from this world” stance. They can be content with simple food and not much variety or quantity.

Six: Like everything else, Sixes seem conflicted about food – sometimes indulging but usually regretting it. They can get very focused on their health, though, and for that reason focus on eating “good” food.

Seven: With gluttony as their cardinal sin, Sevens can spend a lifetime overindulging as a way to forestall that horrible fear of deprivation. However, when feeling more secure, they can use that Five focus (Seven’s point of integration) to exert discipline in healthy eating.

Eight: Lust is the cardinal sin here, and the Lowe’s motto—more of everything—could just as easily be the Eight’s. Gusto for life extends to food and drink, often to excess. Many Eights are large people – picture the older Orson Wells.

Nine: Just as with the other Core Types (Three and Six), there’s a lot of variation here. Nines are often indifferent to food and can forget to eat for most of a day, as they are asleep to their own bodies and needs. Because they can tend toward self-narcotizing behavior, though, they can also over-indulge habitually as a way to remain happy and peaceful.

Now, if you walk away from this post thinking, “Well, that was interesting,” you will have missed the opportunity inherent in it. Which is: How much free will is actually in play regarding how you approach food? You can rationalize your approach all day long—we all do—but is what you eat truly your own decision, or that of your Inner Critic? In what ways are you missing out on a fuller experience of life, in either direction (letting yourself indulge once in a while or learning to fast, for instance), because of the wound at the core of your being?

If you haven’t started learning the Enneagram yet, I recommend “The Wisdom of the Enneagram” as an introduction, as well as my audio program, “Know Yourself to Know God.” Do yourself the supreme favor of learning this amazing model so you can begin to get free of your false self and live out your destiny instead.

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