TMS #021: 5 Steps to Better Self-Control With Food

Do you know the craving for sweets, especially at Christmas time?

If you could be more in control of your eating habits, would you?

More than likely, the answer is yes. But how do you get there?

Here are five steps to better self-control with food:

1. Identify what you want to change

This step has two parts: identifying the problem and deciding on a goal.

For example, suppose you are struggling with overeating. If this is the case, you might buy more food than you need when shopping and waste money on ingredients you don't use. This is a good start because it's specific and measurable (you'll know when you've achieved your goal). It also shows you why the problem exists in the first place. For example, your shopping trips may have become an excuse for mindless eating or a bad relationship with food.

In practice: If your goal is "I want less junk food," ask yourself what about those foods makes them so tempting in the first place? Are there certain feelings or situations where they are most likely to happen? Do some research into why these foods have a strong hold over people. Understanding why will help inform you how you can break free from their grasp!

2. Get to the root of your triggers

The next step is to get to the root of your triggers. Ask yourself why you are eating the food, why you are eating at that time, and what would happen if you didn't eat the food. Then ask yourself how you will feel after you eat it or how many hours have passed since your last meal. If you can't avoid eating something unhealthy (like trying to finish an assignment), try another tactic: ask for help!

You may not have time to eat a healthy meal, but you can ask someone else to bring you some food. If your friends are eating something unhealthy, try to find something healthy that they will also like.

3. Slow down and be mindful

Slow down and pay attention if you want to learn to control yourself around food. Pay attention to what you are doing when you eat. Don't do other things or eat quickly. Think about what you are eating, how it tastes, and how it feels in your mouth. It's important to realize how eating makes us feel affects how much we eat. For example, if we take the time to taste our food—to savor it—we might be less likely to overeat because we've satisfied our hunger more.

This process is cut short when we eat quickly or are distracted by other activities like work or TV. We miss out on some of the pleasurable components of eating that help us feel full faster and more completely. This means that we often finish a meal before we're full, which leaves us wanting more. It also means that when we get hungry again soon after finishing a meal (which happens because of homeostasis), our brain thinks there's still plenty on our plate!

4. Build healthy habits

Now that you’ve identified the behaviors causing you problems, it’s time to start building your self-control muscle.

Begin with a tiny habit and build on it. If you want to eat more fruits and vegetables, start by having a healthy snack before dinner once a day. Once that becomes easy, add another healthy snack in the afternoon or morning. Keep adding healthy habits until they become part of your routine!

Make sure that these habits are made every day. This is important because skipping days can make it harder to reach long-term goals. Even if something is OK for you sometimes, that doesn't mean you should always do it (think about how much money we spend at Starbucks each year).

If you have bad eating habits, there's no reason to panic. You can change how you eat and drink by making small changes over time. Some of these changes may be things that you're already doing. Try making them more often and with greater intentionality. Other changes might need a little more effort to get used to, but having a good reason for doing them will help with this process. Here are some ways people have succeeded in changing their diet:

Eating better:

This is one of the easiest ways to make your diet healthier without drastically overhauling it: Try eating one new healthy food each week, like spinach or pomegranate, until most of the food on your plate is healthy and nutritious instead of full of empty calories and junk food.

Eating healthier:

Instead of losing weight as an end goal, which many people fail at, try to improve your health by changing habits related to nutrition. Drink a lot of water throughout the day instead of only drinking coffee or energy drinks when you're tired.

Try to pack snacks like fresh fruit pieces before you leave work so that when you're hungry at 5 p.m., you don't immediately grab a handful of chips from the supply closet, thinking you'll feel better faster than if you wait until 7 p.m. when the family eats dinner together.

5. Forgive yourself and start again

Don't be too hard on yourself.

Don't beat yourself up over a bad week or even a bad month, especially if it's been extremely difficult for you to get back on track. The important thing is that you get back on track, not how long it takes you to do so.

Don’t give up! You can do this! And once you've reached your goal weight and kept it off for at least a month (three months would be better), give yourself a reward that doesn't involve food. It could be anything, like a massage and pedicure at a local salon, tickets to an upcoming concert or sporting event, or even going out with friends more often than usual. Any reward that makes sense for you based on your needs and preferences will work. Don't treat yourself like garbage because 'll all feel bad about ourselves again. And nobody wants that kind of stress in their life either!

Conclusion

As you learn to practice self-control with food, remember that it takes time and consistency. Don’t expect immediate results. Especially not in the Christmas season. Know that over time, you’ll be better able to manage your eating habits and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Merry Christmas!

Cheers,

Christian Founder & CEO - Mindtutorial

Remember: You’re just one habit away!

TL;DR

5 Steps to Better Self-Control With Food:

1. Identify what you want to change

2. Get to the root of your triggers

3. Slow down and be mindful

4. Build healthy habits

5. Forgive yourself and start again

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