Years ago I had a client who insisted on
categorizing all her foods into “good foods” and “bad foods”. Hearing her speak like this really broke my
heart and I was determined to get her to retrain her brain. Behavior like this is not healthy and there
are no good and bad foods. Dividing what
you eat into “yes” and “no” lists is a perfect way to trigger a binge. Here are some things that I shared with
her……………..
Portion Control
The reason why you call a food “bad” is
because you either binge when you eat it or it is so highly caloric or fat
laden that it causes you to gain weight.
Those are not strong enough reasons for you to banish that food from
your repertoire. In fact, if you enjoy
this food as much as you say you do, you should try to find a way to eat it
sensibly. Let’s take an example using
pizza as a “bad food”. When you order a
pie, you should not be eating the whole thing yourself. If you allow yourself two pieces (which is as
sensible portion), set those aside and close the cover of the box. Begin eating your portion and make sure you
slowly savor and enjoy it as you mindfully eat it. This gives your brain a
chance to catch up with your palate. You
are now giving yourself permission to eat this food in a controlled portion
amount and you will feel satisfied. When
you are done, wrap all the other pieces up individually and place them in the
freezer for another day.
Guilty Pleasures
I admit it – my guilty pleasure is
cookies. I cannot resist them. However, I apply the same concept here. When I buy my favorite cookie, I open the
package and pack them in portions of two and place them in a ziplock bag in the
freezer. This way I am not eating from
an open box and eating more than I should.
When I want cookies I reach in and get my pouch of two and my brain is
trained to just want that portion. I
feel satisfied and in control. I had my
“bad food”, if that’s what you want to call it, but I practiced portion control
which will surely be kind to my waistline.
Snack Foods
If you love chips, pretzels, nuts, etc. buy
the package of small bags that are sold in the supermarket. When you have finished your “bad food”
portion, it will register in your brain.
If you want to be more cost conscious, buy the larger size and portion
into ziplock baggies yourself. I do this with
nuts, especially, so when I have finished that tiny ziplock bag, my brain is in
sync with my stomach.
Again my reasoning here is to get away from
destructive eating patterns where you “punish” yourself for eating something
that you yourself have labeled “good” or “bad”.
My Grandmother always said “everything in moderation” and that phrase
has always stuck in my head. She lived
to be 103 and all of those years were happy ones for her. She enjoyed everything that she ate but she
watched her portion sizes. If you truly
want to lead a healthy life, start by improving your relationship with food and
with yourself. The rest will follow
naturally.
Life is too short to live yearning for an ice
cream sundae. I’ll have mine now but
make sure you put the whipped cream on top – and don’t forget the sprinkles!!
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