Maybe you love cookies. Or M&Ms. Or anything that’s rolled in sugar. That’s the case for almost 50% of our clients. However, it’s typically not just the sweetness that appeals to your taste buds, belly, and brain. It’s a diabolically delicious combination of sugar, fat, and salt that makes certain foods nearly irresistible. There’s even a special name for them: hyperpalatable. In fact, food manufacturers use this flavor formula to create products you can’t stop eating. (It’s great for sales, after all.) The biggest challenge with these foods is their availability: They’re everywhere, including your kitchen.
What would happen if, next time you visit the grocery store, you avoided the aisle containing that jumbo pack of Oreos? Try it and observe what happens. Purchase wisely! Control what comes into your environment to set yourself up for success. Consciously avoid going down the junk food aisles in the grocery store where all the cookies, chips, candies, etc are located. Also, see if you can find healthier alternatives in the healthy foods section.
Nutrition Challenge #5: “I eat in restaurants a lot.” With so many temptations on restaurant menus, it’s natural to feel a little tortured about what to order. Once that mental back-and-forth begins, it’s all too easy to say, “Heck with it, give me the carbonara and pass the bread sticks.” Along with planning meals or your food choices (as in Challenge #2), you can also plan how to show up. Is this a special occasion? Is the food so unique and amazing at this restaurant that it’s truly worth it? (If so, slow down and really savor the experience.)
Or, would you prefer your choice align with your healthy eating practice? If so, consider preparing in advance by reviewing the menu, or even setting a phone or calendar reminder to help yourself stay on track. Deciding what to order ahead of time can help you stay focused and avoid being distracted by less favorable options.
Every time you follow through on your plan, notice how you feel after you’ve finished your meal. If you’re proud of flexing your “power of choice” muscles, that’s a positive step to encouraging the same behavior next time. With more practice, smart choices become easier and easier.
You can also try tips and tricks:
1). Order a plant-rich dish. (Shoot for half your plate to be vegetables.)
2). Choose a lean protein. (Read: grilled or broiled chicken breast or fish.)
3). Avoid breaded and fried foods. (This eliminates a lot of poor choices.)
4). Ask for dressings on the side. (And use responsibly.)
5). Eat slowly. (See Challenge #3, above.)
6). Stop when you’re 80% full. (See Challenge #6, below.)
These ideas can be a practical guide for when you’re eating out—no matter if you’re at a fine-dining establishment or a fast food chain.
Nutrition Challenge #6: “I eat larger portions than I need.” In the weight loss industry, it’s popular to tell people, “It’s not your fault.” In this case, it’s partially true. Between your parents directing you to “clean your plate,” the abundance of hyperpalatable foods (see Challenge #4), and the mega-meals served by chain restaurants, eating more than you need can feel completely natural. Which means eating an appropriate-sized meal can feel…weird. At least until you get you used to it. And that requires practice.
A simple way to start: Eat slowly (Challenge #3… again) and stop when you’re 80 percent full. Do this no matter how much is left on your plate or how uncomfortable it makes you feel psychologically. This won’t be easy at first, and you may wonder, “Am I at 80 percent full or 70 percent?” or “Did I just totally mess up and go over?” Don’t worry about it. The point is to become a more mindful eater and pay better attention to your body’s satiety signals. That takes time, and like any skill, you’ll improve with practice. We’re going for progress here, not perfection. Of course, it helps to start with a reasonable portion size. But you don’t need to enter your meals into a calculator ahead of time. You can use your hands to estimate how you should eat, with our simple but effective portion and calorie control guide.
Nutrition Challenge #7: “I don’t have time to prepare meals.” Are you seeing a theme emerge? Sure, this one’s related to “I don’t plan out meals” and “I eat out too much.”, but it’s also slightly different because it’s specifically calling out the reason why: a lack of a key resource. Now let’s be honest: There may be a lack of desire here, too, at least compared to activities you do have time for and that’s okay. After all, many people are on the move all day, commuting, working, and/or caring for others. You deserve some time to unwind, and if that means grabbing takeout so you can sink into your couch 30 minutes sooner, we get it. Let’s go back to our continuum concept: If you’re making zero meals now, could you find time to make one meal each week? Or if you’re making 3, could you find time to make 4? If you can make just one extra meal, you’ll be taking a positive action to change your behavior and improve your health. That’s how real, lasting transformation happens: one tiny step at a time, not by trying to change everything overnight. Figure out what action you’re capable of now—even if it doesn’t seem like much, try it out, then practice it next week, too. As it becomes easier, ask: “ Could I add in another home-made meal?” Remember: Progress, not perfection.
Nutrition Challenge #8: "I drink too much!" If you’re nodding your head right now, we feel you, so do more than 30% of our clients who say they over-consume alcohol. The question is: What does “too much” mean? It can be different for everyone. Maybe you’re drinking 2 or 3 glasses of wine at night and wondering if you’re relying too much on alcohol to take the edge off. Perhaps you don’t imbibe during the week, but drink to excess on the weekend. Even if you don’t have what’s considered a “serious” problem, your drinking habits could be affecting your ability to lead a healthier lifestyle—by interfering with your sleep, impeding fat loss, affecting your judgement (“Hey everyone! Who wants late-night nachos??”) and stimulating your appetite.
What would happen if, next time you visit the grocery store, you avoided the aisle containing that jumbo pack of Oreos? Try it and observe what happens. Purchase wisely! Control what comes into your environment to set yourself up for success. Consciously avoid going down the junk food aisles in the grocery store where all the cookies, chips, candies, etc are located. Also, see if you can find healthier alternatives in the healthy foods section.
Nutrition Challenge #5: “I eat in restaurants a lot.” With so many temptations on restaurant menus, it’s natural to feel a little tortured about what to order. Once that mental back-and-forth begins, it’s all too easy to say, “Heck with it, give me the carbonara and pass the bread sticks.” Along with planning meals or your food choices (as in Challenge #2), you can also plan how to show up. Is this a special occasion? Is the food so unique and amazing at this restaurant that it’s truly worth it? (If so, slow down and really savor the experience.)
Or, would you prefer your choice align with your healthy eating practice? If so, consider preparing in advance by reviewing the menu, or even setting a phone or calendar reminder to help yourself stay on track. Deciding what to order ahead of time can help you stay focused and avoid being distracted by less favorable options.
Every time you follow through on your plan, notice how you feel after you’ve finished your meal. If you’re proud of flexing your “power of choice” muscles, that’s a positive step to encouraging the same behavior next time. With more practice, smart choices become easier and easier.
You can also try tips and tricks:
1). Order a plant-rich dish. (Shoot for half your plate to be vegetables.)
2). Choose a lean protein. (Read: grilled or broiled chicken breast or fish.)
3). Avoid breaded and fried foods. (This eliminates a lot of poor choices.)
4). Ask for dressings on the side. (And use responsibly.)
5). Eat slowly. (See Challenge #3, above.)
6). Stop when you’re 80% full. (See Challenge #6, below.)
These ideas can be a practical guide for when you’re eating out—no matter if you’re at a fine-dining establishment or a fast food chain.
Nutrition Challenge #6: “I eat larger portions than I need.” In the weight loss industry, it’s popular to tell people, “It’s not your fault.” In this case, it’s partially true. Between your parents directing you to “clean your plate,” the abundance of hyperpalatable foods (see Challenge #4), and the mega-meals served by chain restaurants, eating more than you need can feel completely natural. Which means eating an appropriate-sized meal can feel…weird. At least until you get you used to it. And that requires practice.
A simple way to start: Eat slowly (Challenge #3… again) and stop when you’re 80 percent full. Do this no matter how much is left on your plate or how uncomfortable it makes you feel psychologically. This won’t be easy at first, and you may wonder, “Am I at 80 percent full or 70 percent?” or “Did I just totally mess up and go over?” Don’t worry about it. The point is to become a more mindful eater and pay better attention to your body’s satiety signals. That takes time, and like any skill, you’ll improve with practice. We’re going for progress here, not perfection. Of course, it helps to start with a reasonable portion size. But you don’t need to enter your meals into a calculator ahead of time. You can use your hands to estimate how you should eat, with our simple but effective portion and calorie control guide.
Nutrition Challenge #7: “I don’t have time to prepare meals.” Are you seeing a theme emerge? Sure, this one’s related to “I don’t plan out meals” and “I eat out too much.”, but it’s also slightly different because it’s specifically calling out the reason why: a lack of a key resource. Now let’s be honest: There may be a lack of desire here, too, at least compared to activities you do have time for and that’s okay. After all, many people are on the move all day, commuting, working, and/or caring for others. You deserve some time to unwind, and if that means grabbing takeout so you can sink into your couch 30 minutes sooner, we get it. Let’s go back to our continuum concept: If you’re making zero meals now, could you find time to make one meal each week? Or if you’re making 3, could you find time to make 4? If you can make just one extra meal, you’ll be taking a positive action to change your behavior and improve your health. That’s how real, lasting transformation happens: one tiny step at a time, not by trying to change everything overnight. Figure out what action you’re capable of now—even if it doesn’t seem like much, try it out, then practice it next week, too. As it becomes easier, ask: “ Could I add in another home-made meal?” Remember: Progress, not perfection.
Nutrition Challenge #8: "I drink too much!" If you’re nodding your head right now, we feel you, so do more than 30% of our clients who say they over-consume alcohol. The question is: What does “too much” mean? It can be different for everyone. Maybe you’re drinking 2 or 3 glasses of wine at night and wondering if you’re relying too much on alcohol to take the edge off. Perhaps you don’t imbibe during the week, but drink to excess on the weekend. Even if you don’t have what’s considered a “serious” problem, your drinking habits could be affecting your ability to lead a healthier lifestyle—by interfering with your sleep, impeding fat loss, affecting your judgement (“Hey everyone! Who wants late-night nachos??”) and stimulating your appetite.
Ask yourself: What’s one action you could take to curtail your alcohol intake? Could you have 1 glass tonight instead of 2, or 2 instead of 3? Could you drink more slowly, so that one glass lasts longer? Could you have a glass of water between cocktails? If your alcohol intake isn’t destroying your work or family life, you don’t necessarily have to slam on the brakes. Ease yourself into it and notice how you feel. As with all the other strategies offered in this discussion, better awareness can result in better choices.
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