The trick is avoiding shame related to your diet. Not only, if that is important to you, you're more likely to actually lose weight, but you're saner. I mean imagine if any other basic bodily function you did had to involve rolling out the guilt wagon — my air mix was not pure enough! my bathroom break took too long! my workout was too endorphin heavy! I must loathe myself as a failure now!
I'll eat unhealthy things because they're delicious, not as a reward.
Do not reward yourself with food. You're not a dog.
Dogs understand hunger and reward on their level. Too bad humans still struggle with this notion.
This take on dieting comes from a friend of mine. She is a little bit heavier than society wants her to be, but has a really healthy attitude and approach to the philosophy of eating.
We focus on weight and decide based on internal and external factors where we are on the grand scale (pun intended).
Even when eating better, I still wanted to reward myself with food that tasted good. Certain holidays and special days trigger emotional reactions to foods associated with that time. Pavlov's dog was salivate when he heard a bell because he was trained to associate the bell with food.
Aren't we better than Pavlov's dog?
Eating sweets around Valentine's Day or snack chips around the Super Bowl are examples that come up around the same time of year, especially in the dead of winter. Even a paczki on Fat Tuesday; after all, how many other days out of the year do you crave a paczki?
Have sweets on your own schedule. Eat some chips and dip when you feel like it. Have some broccoli because you're in the mood. Okay, you may never be in the mood for broccoli.
Find a rhythm that works for you. If you are eating too many sweets or eating them too often, scale it back. If you aren't coming up with enough times to eat fruits and vegetables, find ways to make them work for you.
The sound of a can opener, a bell, the rustling of a bag of dog food: these are all signs for your dog that food is coming soon. Humans control their food intake; the only bells that should go off are the internal sounds. Your rewards should come from within.
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