Beyond willpower: avoiding temptations
I wrote this at 6 am for a 9 am presentation while still hung over with NyQuil from the night before. Heh heh!
Practice Makes Perfect
As no musician would perform without hours of dedicated practice, you should not attend an event where there will be food temptations without first taking the time to mentally prepare and visualize the steps you'll take to avoid these temptations. Will there be pushy diet saboteurs who say, "Oh, just one little bite won't hurt." "I made these brownies just for you, I'll be so sad if you don't try some!"? The key is to practice and practice again these three simple words: No thank you. It's the automatic answer. If you say it often and consistently people will eventually stop offering you junk food. Visualize yourself surveying the food layout and filling your plate with just the foods that will nourish and fuel your body: fresh veggies and fruit, lean meats, whole grains. Then, if you wish, select one small portion of a treat and savour each bite slowly. A healthy lifestyle is not about denying yourself constantly, but to enjoy yourself in moderation.
Eat Regularly
Meals and snacks spaced approximately 3 hours apart throughout the day keep blood sugar levels stable. When we go too long without food, blood sugar levels drop dramatically, often causing a mad dash for any food within reach. The most popular packaged snack foods are high in refined carbohydrates and sugars, which soon cause more fluctuations in blood sugar levels and more cravings...it's a vicious cycle!
Be Prepared
Ever been starving at 3pm at work and trying to ignore the siren song of the vending machine or the call of the donut box in the staff room? The key is to be prepared every single day with your own water and healthy pre-portioned snacks. Don't carry change for the vending machine and stay out of the work kitchen if possible. It also helps to think of the food in the kitchen as 'not yours' - you didn't buy it or bring it in, so helping yourself to this food is akin to stealing. All my personal trainer colleagues - the healthiest people I know - carry snacks with them every day to be prepared in any situation. If there is a family event where you know nothing healthy will be served, eat a full meal beforehand. Again, those magic words, "NO THANK YOU, I'm stuffed." will get you out of many sticky situations. I never worry about hurting someone's feelings by turning food down - your health is more important!