Have you ever enjoyed the self-loathing that accompanies eating the whole pint of Ben & Jerry’s?
Or maybe you felt amazing after devouring a bucket of oily popcorn, giant coke and an entire box of snow caps during a two hour movie?
Oh, you haven’t… uh, me neither.
Don’t worry. We aren’t broken, helpless or alone.
We live in a world of processed foods that are scientifically engineered to be irresistible and easy to devour in large quantities. And they aren’t going anywhere.
So we have to make a choice.
We can complain about Big Corporations that only care about creating calorie dense , immediately delicious, easy to eat food that melts or dissolves easily when eaten that we will over consume and continue to purchase (these are the five factors food manufacturers use to determine if a food is good for the market).
Or
We can Fight the Power!
Here are 3 strategies:
#1 Get curious about the food you eat
- Observe and count your chews – eat a fruit, vegetable or meat and see how long it takes to chew it. Then try this with a processed food – pasta, chips, cookies.
- How full do you feel after eating whole foods? What about after processed foods?
- Make some comparisons. You don’t have to do this forever. It’s simply a way to become aware of how you eat. It provides information.
#2 Notice the messages you are getting about foods
- Pay attention to the packaging and message on the box.
- Start with your pantry. Locate “health halo” foods. Why did you choose them? Was it the packaging or a trendy slogan? Was it sugar-free, organic or paleo?
- Read the labels and ingredients. Is the organic box of mac and cheese much different than the regular box?
- Now count the variety of snacks, crackers, cookies, etc in your house. The more options you have the more likely you are to overeat these foods.
- This is just an awareness activity. Don’t judge or feel shame about your choices. After going through this step, you will be more aware of the marketing tactics you are susceptible to.
#3 Look at patterns
- We often use food for other reasons besides nourishment. We need to identify why we are eating. Maybe we are sad, tired, stressed, lonely or bored. Food fills the void.
- It could be time of day. Every night after dinner you have some ice cream.
- Social settings – Oh, you are drinking beer? I guess I am too!
- Thought pattern – I deserve this…..
- Use your phone or some kind of journal and look for patterns.
- Practice – learning to replace the behavior of eating to provide comfort with a habit that supports your goals will take time.
Fighting the powers that be isn’t easy. It will take practice, determination and desire. You can do it if you really want to. It’s your choice.
Keep moving,
Coach Dom
