Tag Archive | Guilt

Your List of Addictive Foods Can Change

Dec13

Just because you’ve felt an addiction to a particular food doesn’t mean that it will always affect you in the same way.

In fact, foods that once comforted you in times of emotional crisis can lose their appeal and you may never crave them again.

This happened to me with frozen yogurt. When things felt bumpy, I craved something smooth. What worked best was Publix Blackjack Cherry frozen yogurt. When I traveled, I actually worried about what I would do if I had some emotional crisis when I was on the road.

Publix is a Florida company and I traveled outside the state. Can you imagine frozen yogurt being that much of a priority on a road trip? And you know what? It was never an issue, because when I was on a training assignment, I was doing something that fulfilled me.

When I got home though, it was a different story. All the paperwork and getting ready to leave town in two days–it was overwhelming.

I’d stop at Publix on my way back from the airport and pick up half a gallon of Blackjack Cherry. I’d eat the whole carton and then go to bed.

It became a ritual. That food topped my list of addictive foods for years and finally last year I lost my taste for it. I didn’t do anything. It just happened.

Some people think that once you’re addicted to a particular food, you never get over it. But you do. One day you just don’t want it anymore. You don’t really give it up. It’s more like it leaves you.

So don’t be too hard on yourself when you give in to your food addiction or go on an emotional eating binge. Adding guilt won’t make you feel any better.

Just know that everything has a life span, even food addiction. Never give up on yourself. Just keep working on letting go of things that no longer serve you.

5 Tips for Keeping Your Food Addiction in Check on Thanksgiving Day

Nov22

Here are five things you can do to enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner without giving in to your food addiction.

1. Don’t limit your eating to Thanksgiving Dinner. You’re going to have leftovers anyway, so why not start on them early?

Instead of stuffing yourself at the dinner table, eat just enough to stop feeling hungry and go back for more when you feel hungry again.

2. Stay away from your addictive foods. You know which ones they are. Don’t make a big deal out of it. Just do what you need to do.

My big addictive food is bread. I don’t even keep it in the house. If it’s a choice between pumpkin pie and rolls, the pie wins every time. I don’t know why but it’s not addictive for me like rolls and bread are.

3. Always save room for dessert. You know you’re going to eat it so don’t let the guilt rob you of that simple pleasure. Eat it and enjoy it and let it go at that.

4. Don’t give in to snacking. Eat a real meal, at least some protein and carbohydrates,  something that will satisfy you for 2-3 hours. One of the problems with snacking is that it seems to go on forever. A meal should have an ending.

5. Give your body some time to process the food you’re taking in. That way you’ll have enough energy to play a little football, go to a movie, or take a nice walk.

Thanksgiving Day is not a time to be worrying about emotional eating, food addictions, or losing weight. That takes all the enjoyment out of it.

Overeating is common but it doesn’t have to be. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re not, and be thankful you have enough food to worry about overeating.