We can trawl through endless advice and ideas on dieting, much of which is valid and useful. Some people will take the information and act upon it. These people will yield their desired weight management results. And yet, there are so many people out there who just cannot seem to succeed. What on earth could be going on?
Well, something that is often not addressed at all in weight management/loss programs is the mindset of the person. I don't want to go into this here and now, but so often people tell themselves that (despite being on a diet) they 'deserve' the cake, or it's just a 'treat', one 'won't hurt' and so on. They are making these foods which are not good for you into 'treats', things to 'deserve'! Don't you think you 'deserve' to treat' your body to some natural nourishing food? Something that is actually good for your body and mind? I do.
I know this is a short post, but my main reason for writing it was to share a quotation from a book with you. One that made a difference to me anyway. Read it, think about it. Read it more than once if necessary but do take it in...
"Here is a rich man who is the victim of painful and persistent disease as the result of gluttony. He is willing to give large sums of money to get rid of it, but he will not sacrifice his gluttonous desires. He wants to gratify his taste for rich and unnatural foods and have his health as well. Such a man is unfit to have health, because he has not yet learned the principles of a healthy life". ~ James Allen
So, what changes can you make to your attitude towards 'unnatural foods' that would help you to lose those excess lbs? I'm sure there are several.
You can do it! :)
Monday 9 April 2012
Friday 6 April 2012
Beating Those Cravings
If you are a successful dieter, this opening will probably not sound terribly familiar to you... but if you have tried and failed to stick with diets, then this will most likely strike a chord with you.
You get yourself all motivated for your weight loss and the diet plan which you are now about to follow. The day goes well, you have counted all your points or calories, or stuck like glue to all the rules of whatever the plan you're following is. Dinner time has been and gone and you have been really good. You sit down to chill out for the evening knowing that you have got off to a great start, you are going to succeed in your weight loss efforts! Then, this funny little feeling starts creeping into your mouth. You try and ignore it but it won't leave you alone. You're perhaps watching TV, but your mind is now distracted by this feeling, this desire to eat something... and not just anything, but something really off limits! You try and ignore it, you try and fight it. Then you may decide to get yourself a drink instead, yes that'll do it right? You have your drink. That seemed to have worked... for now. The evening goes on like this until eventually, just before bedtime, you give in and help yourself to whatever you can find in the snack cupboard!!! Cursing what you just did, you go to bed and vow to do better tomorrow...
Of course this issue with cravings is not just limited to evenings, it can strike at any moment in the day but the evenings seem to be where they become the hardest to resist.
So, what can you do about it? You have all the good intentions and yet you continue to keep sabotaging your efforts...almost against your own will! Unfortunately, unless you live on your own or with a family who are happy to have no unhealthy snacks in the cupboard, I have only discovered ONE thing that really works long term. First of all though, let me go through the other ideas that can and do work although not as successfully in my opinion.
Drink Plenty of Water. The reason behind this is two fold. By drinking plenty of water you are helping to keep your cells refreshed and your body cleansed. By doing this, you can also help to eliminate the chemicals and sugars that you have consumed and are craving more of. It also provides you with an 'action' to replace eating with. You are putting your hands to your mouth and consuming something. If water is not your thing (although it really should be!) try adding some flavouring by making a fruit tea, allowing it to cool and adding to your water as though it is a cordial.
Create a Food 'Road Block'. If you have a snack cupboard in your home - intended for the use of your children and other family members of course - put the most unhealthy or hard to resist snacks at the back of the cupboard and place healthy options in front of them. Now, when you go to that cupboard, you will see the fruit, rice cakes or whatever else you have chosen to put there, first. Okay, so you may just reach over them but you will have to make a concious effort to do so.
Know You Will Cave In. If you really can't resist despite all your best efforts, then allow for what you plan to eat in the evening in your daily plan. It is suggested that if you cut your calories in the day, then you will just get hungry and binge later on in the evening BUT, if you are going to do it regardless of what you have had through the day, then allow for it. If for example you are doing a diet where you count points, then work out how many points you will need to have the intended late night snack and cut back through the day in anticipation.
So those are some ideas for you to try out to help you with your cravings. And, may I just say, I nearly wrote 'carb cravings' there but thought some of you may not think of them as such... although I can't remember the last time I really craved an egg, or some fish etc... can you? Hmmm...
Now, that ONE thing that works long term. It is not easy at first but once you get through the early days, it becomes REALLY easy. Cut out ALL refined carbohydrates. This means breads that have sugar added to them (opt for a natural rye bread for example), white rice, sugar in all forms, pasta etc. You can still eat carbohydrates, you just need to ensure that they are in their 'whole, natural state'. If you are eating potato, you must eat the skin too. Eating sugars makes you want to eat MORE SUGARS! It's a physical fact and the only thing you can do is to avoid them completely. Sorry about that.
Hopefully some of the earlier tips will be enough for you to take control of your cravings without having to eliminate sugars altogether, but if they don't, at least you know what you can do to beat them once and for all!
You get yourself all motivated for your weight loss and the diet plan which you are now about to follow. The day goes well, you have counted all your points or calories, or stuck like glue to all the rules of whatever the plan you're following is. Dinner time has been and gone and you have been really good. You sit down to chill out for the evening knowing that you have got off to a great start, you are going to succeed in your weight loss efforts! Then, this funny little feeling starts creeping into your mouth. You try and ignore it but it won't leave you alone. You're perhaps watching TV, but your mind is now distracted by this feeling, this desire to eat something... and not just anything, but something really off limits! You try and ignore it, you try and fight it. Then you may decide to get yourself a drink instead, yes that'll do it right? You have your drink. That seemed to have worked... for now. The evening goes on like this until eventually, just before bedtime, you give in and help yourself to whatever you can find in the snack cupboard!!! Cursing what you just did, you go to bed and vow to do better tomorrow...
Of course this issue with cravings is not just limited to evenings, it can strike at any moment in the day but the evenings seem to be where they become the hardest to resist.
So, what can you do about it? You have all the good intentions and yet you continue to keep sabotaging your efforts...almost against your own will! Unfortunately, unless you live on your own or with a family who are happy to have no unhealthy snacks in the cupboard, I have only discovered ONE thing that really works long term. First of all though, let me go through the other ideas that can and do work although not as successfully in my opinion.
Drink Plenty of Water. The reason behind this is two fold. By drinking plenty of water you are helping to keep your cells refreshed and your body cleansed. By doing this, you can also help to eliminate the chemicals and sugars that you have consumed and are craving more of. It also provides you with an 'action' to replace eating with. You are putting your hands to your mouth and consuming something. If water is not your thing (although it really should be!) try adding some flavouring by making a fruit tea, allowing it to cool and adding to your water as though it is a cordial.
Create a Food 'Road Block'. If you have a snack cupboard in your home - intended for the use of your children and other family members of course - put the most unhealthy or hard to resist snacks at the back of the cupboard and place healthy options in front of them. Now, when you go to that cupboard, you will see the fruit, rice cakes or whatever else you have chosen to put there, first. Okay, so you may just reach over them but you will have to make a concious effort to do so.
Know You Will Cave In. If you really can't resist despite all your best efforts, then allow for what you plan to eat in the evening in your daily plan. It is suggested that if you cut your calories in the day, then you will just get hungry and binge later on in the evening BUT, if you are going to do it regardless of what you have had through the day, then allow for it. If for example you are doing a diet where you count points, then work out how many points you will need to have the intended late night snack and cut back through the day in anticipation.
So those are some ideas for you to try out to help you with your cravings. And, may I just say, I nearly wrote 'carb cravings' there but thought some of you may not think of them as such... although I can't remember the last time I really craved an egg, or some fish etc... can you? Hmmm...
Now, that ONE thing that works long term. It is not easy at first but once you get through the early days, it becomes REALLY easy. Cut out ALL refined carbohydrates. This means breads that have sugar added to them (opt for a natural rye bread for example), white rice, sugar in all forms, pasta etc. You can still eat carbohydrates, you just need to ensure that they are in their 'whole, natural state'. If you are eating potato, you must eat the skin too. Eating sugars makes you want to eat MORE SUGARS! It's a physical fact and the only thing you can do is to avoid them completely. Sorry about that.
Hopefully some of the earlier tips will be enough for you to take control of your cravings without having to eliminate sugars altogether, but if they don't, at least you know what you can do to beat them once and for all!
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