Thought – feeling – action! Action – feeling – thought! Feeling – thought – action! Where does it start?
I eat my feelings! What came before the feeling? What thought? What action?
What if we learned how to control the action of eating or the ‘reaction’ to eating, with a little planning? Would this give us further control over the feelings and the thoughts? Yes absolutely!
What will you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Include healthy snacks. 5 minutes planning avoids what I call ‘reactive eating’! This is when hunger takes hold & we eat the most convenient option available to us & very often the wrong choice is made. This is a major weight gain trap if it becomes habitual. You may be a ‘hangry’ human when hungry takes hold & you are not safe to be around until you eat!
If you can identify with reactive eating or hanger then planning your meals is key for you.
Your plan needs to take into account your work and life commitments. What you are going to eat and when you are going to eat it? How much time do you have to prepare your food? If you have a social event coming up plan to enjoy it without over doing it and get back on track the next day. A bad day does not have to turn into a bad week. Learn how to find a balance between your healthy weight goals & having a bit of fun. Make small weekly changes & build on them. Ensure you are implementing these changes 80-90% of the time, this will allow you the odd indulgence here and there along the way. This advice applies to whatever mode you are in be it weight gain, weight loss or weight maintenance.
Shop to your meal plan & never ever shop on an empty stomach; Separate your shop. If you can buy quality meat/fish from a local butcher or fish monger. Buy your fruit and vegetables from a good fruit and vegetable shop if one is available / convenient. This way you always have fresh ingredients in to throw together a basic meal. You don’t have to buy organic but you can be sure you are getting access to more local & seasonal produce, quite possibly of superior nutritional quality. This tip cuts down on my trips to the supermarket & saves me money as not only am I able to buy the quantity I need I’m also avoiding sweet temptations which are always strategically placed around every supermarket. A supermarket shop can then be done for store cupboard items maybe fortnightly or monthly. A healthy weight starts with your shopping trolley and what you put into it. Shop to a list as much as possible. Shop online if you find you give in too easily to temptations or completely skip the aisle containing the fizzy drinks, crisps, biscuits and chocolate. Don’t have junk food in the house. If it’s there you will nibble.
