OK…. Let me start by saying.. HI my name is Yvette and I am a food addict. Yup.. definitely because why???? I get addicted to certain patterns of eating and certain foods. F*** why can’t I be normal? not sure if you can relate but you probably will
Let me ask you a question…. Have you ever noticed that some foods seem to hold a strange power over you? OMG if you said yes to this we are freaking soul sisters! Do you find yourself obsessing over sweets, ice-cream or pizza for hours – sometimes even days – on end? Can you think of a few products that are particularly adept at calling out to you from the supermarket shelves? Adept.. wow good word Yvette!
If you struggle with binge eating, you’re more than likely to know what I’m talking about. I call these items trigger foods. Just one bite of your biggest trigger food can spiral straight into a full-blown binge. Some of my faves are warm bread basket at the restaurant.. ice-cream.. and chocolate chips! You can’t even pinpoint the exact moment when you lose control. Before you know it, one innocent chocolate bar turns into numerous wrappers strewn on your bedroom floor. This is how it was for me ( and sometimes still is) My biggest trigger food was definitely chocolate. I used to try desperately to resist the cravings, but the obsessive urges wouldn’t leave. Fighting them seemed impossible, and giving in to the cravings was just as scary. The more I thought about chocolate, the stronger the binge urges grew. The more I ate chocolate, the more I craved it. I was stuck in a vicious cycle. can you relate????So how should we deal with these sorts of foods if we are trying to stay in shape ?
Should we spend the rest of our lives avoiding them like the plague? Or should we face our fears head-on, but on our own terms?
It’s true that trigger foods can be dangerous during the initial stages of any dieting phase, but.. and I believe this is a big but.. Constantly depriving yourself of your fave foods isn’t going to cure your binge eating. What I suggest is distancing yourself from your trigger foods for a period of 3 to 4 weeks.
Here are the reasons why:
1. Your gut bacteria will have time to change.
Gut bacteria has a huge influence on your cravings. The good news, however, is that you can have just as big of an influence on these bacteria. By abstaining from your trigger foods for a few weeks, you will allow them to die off. As a result, your binge urges will grow significantly weaker. I swear this is true…strong
2. You will break the habit.
You might often find yourself eating your trigger foods without even craving them that much. The force of habit can be incredibly powerful, but staying away from trigger foods for a while will enable you to take back the reins.
3. You will learn to eat balanced meals again.
Avoiding your trigger foods for a limited period of time diminishes the possibility of binge episodes. You can use these binge-free weeks to really focus on eating regular and nutritious meals. I’d like to add a few reminders though: Keep it slow and steady. If you have lots of trigger foods, work through them one by one. Don’t forget that this is a short-term plan. After a few weeks of balanced eating, try and reintroduce a small portion of your trigger food into your diet. Eat it mindfully and let yourself enjoy it. You are allowed to eat it moderately, so there’s absolutely no need to go overboard and binge.
4. Try and find a replacement food for your trigger item.
For example, I will eat a piece of cheese and an apple if I had a particularly strong chocolate craving. Most importantly, I want you to remember that these cravings aren’t your fault. Yes, bingeing can morph into addiction. its for reals people you’re not nuts. Sugar has been found to be as highly addictive as cocaine #truth AND….Yes, the cycle can seem UNBEARABLE at times. However, what I’ve learned through my journey – and what I want you to learn as well – is that you are NEVER as helpless as you think you are. It might not sound particularly convincing now, but trust me – there is so much strength within you. I mean fierce strength LIKE a F******LION!!!!!!
You have infinite opportunities for change. Now reach out and grab one of them.
Your friend and coach,
Yvette
Btw cheap plug I know… but people ask me all the time what really is nutrition coaching…. these are the exact things we work on behaviors and habits… For example I have one dear client who works right next to a DD and guess what her habit was getting a donut everyday at break time. Guess what 6 months later she is free of this habit and down 27 pounds. You know who you are! Thats the shit we do together.. Like not just some online program but like EVERY DAY…. BECAUSE GUESS WHAT HABITS CANT CHANGE WITH A WEEKLY APPT ONCE A WEEK. IT HAS TO BE DAILY SO THAT IS WHAT I DO. Yup you get access to me in your back pocket plus.. a 30 min consult a week. It works… Check out the coaching thing here at YSF.
ok thats it for today.. love you ladies..
let me know what habit you want to change and if you can relate.
