Feel guilty
And ask yourself (for the 1000th time):
“Why did I do that?”
^^^ It’s a bit like when you wake up on a Sunday and say ‘I’m never drinking again’
Now, first off
Remember that you’re only human
It happens to EVERY ONE
Including me.
And more often than not…
the culprit is peanut butter
You see, once I start, I find I can’t stop.
^^^ Especially with the 1 kg tubs you can now get.
I love the stuff.
I mean, even when I’m not hungry
Once I start, it can almost trigger me to eat more
Like I lose control.
Now, this used to be with cereal
and you know what’s interesting about cereal and peanut butter as these trigger foods?
Well, they’re perceived as being pretty healthy
So it – kind of – justifies your binge that little bit more.
Because you know that eating too many donuts probably isn’t going to be great for your waistline.
But because peanut butter and cereal provide healthy fats and wholegrains
It kind of justifies the binge, right?
But here’e the key things I’ve noticed over the years from my own binges and from women who I work with.
1) It nearly always happens in the afternoon and / or the evening
2) It nearly always happens when you’re tired and / or stressed
^^^ 96 % of us in the UK say we’re not stressed but probably just don’t know that we actually are. You see, eating on-the-go, sorting your kids out, playing ‘taxi’, going to work, rushing back, sipping caffeine all day to get you through the day, not being able to sleep at night, getting up multiple times in the night…these are all stressors!
3) It nearly always happens when you’ve been ‘picking’ all day and have not sat down to have a proper meal (one that contains protein to help keep you full and satisfied)
And the key thing I want you to take away from this is that it’s probably because you’re tired.
and not protecting your personal energy.
Because when you’re tired, you start to become more reactive.
Your reactions are triggered by your emotions.
You flip out at the other half for overcooking the chicken and not putting the bins out
You kick the dog for running away with your trainer
And you binge on peanut butter and cereal
^^ If you’re anything like me…
All because you’re probably a little bit tired!
So, here’s 3 things you can do to help you manage your energy:
1) Give yourself some headspace – literally take 5 – 10 minutes out of your day. Walk in the fresh air (without technology) or even download the application ‘Headspace’ on your phone and use that to help you switch off for a few minutes
2) Get into a bed time routine – Have a bath, perhaps with epsom salts, read a book, and try to limit too much blue light from laptops and phones right before bed.
3) Bulk cook your food to save time – Try using slow cooker recipes or cook up an extra roast chicken on a Sunday to keep you going for the start of the week with wraps, sandwiches, and even savoury pancakes (like this one)
Just think about this next time you feel yourself having the urge to binge or comfort eat.
Relax and be aware of what you’re doing and why!
Speak soon
Matt ‘peanut butter addict’ Fruci
