Junk Food Issues??
I had a boot camper member from the Toronto location the other day tell me she had 5 cookies but she deserved it because she worked out five days this week... ohhh-NOOO! She she rewarded her self with junk food. Yes it's awesome you worked out 5 days this week, but reward your self with something else. Anything but food! Money, go shopping, buy yourself a nice blouse or a pair of designer jeans. Treat your self to a massage or facial.
Fighting the cravings is common. We have all done it We tell ourselves “Ok... today I'm going to start eating clean.” But then the day starts, with your radio waking you up, tempting you with a glorious fatty fast breakfast from you local coffee house. Then on the way to work you see eye popping ads with pictures of scrumptious looking food on billboards everywhere. Then you get to work and see mouth watering chocolate cake left over in the lunch room from a co-workers birthday. You resist most of the day, but finally you breakdown only to eat that glorious fatty food that will go right your hips and thighs. So why do we still do it?
I'll tell you why. Some where along the line growing up fatty unhealthy food has become a source of pleasure, stress release, and has been associated with reward or positive experiences. When we were children growing up birthdays were usually filled with lots of pleasure and joy: presents, cake, cookies, ice cream, parties. That is where the problem lies. Junk food has become a reward for you. You see junk food as something you get when you have behaved or accomplished something.
My point is you need to do a re-frame. The only way to change your behaviour is to break the positive association you have with junk food. So how do you do that? First make a list of all the negative things that result from eating junk food. Here are a few:
It clogs your arteries.
It leads to extra unsightly fat on the mid section.
Makes you self conscious in clothes.
Puts you as risk for diabetes and heart problems.
Could cause heart attacks, cancer or an early death.
Your partner will start to find you unattractive and their eye will wander.
The list is endless. Carry that list with you, and when every you are tempted by junk food just read your list immediately. Break the positive pattern and replace it with the negative. Realizing where this road will lead will help you break the cycle. The key is remember and repeat it every single time your tempted. This will help break the cycle.
Secondly, start to associate positive emotions to wholesome foods. Fruit, leafy greens, water, and lean meats. Organic whole grains, and fibre. Surround your self with healthy like minded people. You might even have to limit your exposure to unhealthy people who could influence you. Eat healthy meal at celebrations like thanks giving or the the holidays.
Try it out and let me know what happens.
Later, Rob