We start off with good intentions…
“Today is going to be a good day”
But then it feels like
We have been abducted by aliens
Taken straight to the snack cupboard …
Where a snaccident happens…
And we end up saying things
“Why did I do that?”
Almost like it was out of our control.
And it is not your fault.
Sometimes our environments are simply set up to play into the hands of the food industry…
So here are 5 things that might help:
1) Only eat when you are sat down → you will be more mindful, conscious and minimise the bites, licks and tastes (they add up)
2) Eat meals rather than just ‘pick’ → More structure and more opportunities to eat more nutrient dense foods which will keep you full for longer (snacky foods tend to be low in volume, high in calories, and moreish)
3) Don’t eat on the go → try to minimise eating ‘on the go’. You are more likely to grab higher calorie foods, be rushed and ignore point 1, making it easy to overeat. And if you do eat on the go? Have a rule of foods you pack on the go, like fruit, veggies, soup this time of year, yoghurt etc.
4) When you come in from work, break the habit of walking straight in the kitchen → go for a walk, destress, switch off, take a moment, move.
5) Go to bed at the same time each day → Sounds an odd one. But how often do we go into the kitchen and ask ‘am I hungry?’ Reality is, if you are asking if you are hungry, in a kitchen, where there is food….you will probably say you are hungry. But is it actual hunger or just psychological hunger. I mean, would an apple do? Or do you actually need to just go to bed?
And on top of this…
Don’t underestimate how good it feels to do what you said you would do…
To go to bed rather than mindlessly snack
To sit down and enjoy your meal actually feeling hungry rather than full from the snacks you had ‘on the go’
I could go on…
I spoke more about these here too:
Matt