The Mental Challenge - Mind Over Food

shanegan160

I'd like to share a bit of my learning journey of Mind over Food. How to win the battle and create sustaining results.
This isn't the first time I've taken food seriously. Remember when organic food first became to craze and you were just introduced to places like "Sprouts" and "Whole foods".
Lots of research helped at that time, as I couldn't afford to eat all organic. I wanted to know what the most important things were to get organic and which were OK on my Walmart budget.
Now I've realized that while food education is important, there is other knowledge that is vital to success of eating thin and healthy. Here are 3 things that have helped me win the battle of “Mind over Food” thus far starting with KNOWLEDGE.
1. Knowledge:
Self-Knowledge: finding out what my weakest moments are (IE: weekends, when I'm sleepy, stressed, etc.) and making plans ahead of time. Will I eat cake and icecream at the birthday party at work? If so, how much?
Food Knowledge (including calories): using MFP is such a great tool for this one. Logging in my daily calories helps me make smarter choices in what I choose to eat. Not to mention, it holds me accountable and helps me understand nutrition.
Alas! Self-knowledge is not enough! If this were the case, I wouldn't be 25 lbs overweight (after all, I'm a smart person!). Have you ever started a diet and proudly exclaimed to your family and friends, "I'm on a diet and I'm going to lose X amount of pounds in X amount of weeks!" Only to find a week or two later you've greatly slacked or given up entirely? (I HAVE! I HAVE!) Then I get really frustrated when the friends say "are you sure you want that extra piece of cake? Aren’t you on a diet?”.... I feel like Chris Farley "Back off I'm starving!"
Even the weeks I do the best I find myself wanting to sneak food. Have you ever sneaked food?! I can’t be the only one right!? You see, "if no one sees me eat it, there are no calories"...which is more like “if no one sees me eat it I'm not held accountable." That brings me to #2 of Mind over Food...Accountability.
2. Accountability
Choose to be accountable. This has helped me last longer and be more excited about my diet than ever before. But wait! Let me explain! I've heard once that you are only as sick as your secrets, with food this is just as true. When I feel guilty about the things I have eaten, the things know I'm going to eat, or even foods I WANT to eat, I choose to go to my wife and share my struggles. You'd be surprised at how inspirational and helpful loved ones will be in your journey.
A conversation will go like this:
"Honey, I really want to eat a bowl of ice-cream tonight but I'm already 200 calories over my goal today and I'm not hungry." (Boom! just hearing myself say it I suddenly feel the craving start to subside a little.) "Well" she says, "You can if you want but why don't you try a small bite and in a few minutes if you still want more than make a small bowl"
What a great idea! I decided I’d just wait 20 min. and if I was still craving, I'd have a bite, if I still wanted more 20 minutes after that I could eat a bowl. I didn't eat the bite!
Don’t have someone to be accountable to daily? What about MFP? Add me as a friend and tell me every day what your cravings are, just write a little post of how you honestly feel, “I want 2 bowls of ice-cream and dieting is awful!” There is no need for you or me to feel shameful! I don’t just tell my wife because I’m looking for advice, I tell her because I’ve come to the conclusion that secret struggles grow in darkness and weaken in the light.
Being accountable means that I talk about my goals constantly, I check in with someone who cares to let them know where I have struggled and succeeded. Sometime you just have to tell another human being, "I have cravings and this is hard!” don't keep your struggles to yourself! This is largely why I'm writing this post, to selfishly share with you so I can keep "healthy on my mind".
Lastly, mentally be the skinny, fit, and beautiful person you are now! (Because you already are beautiful, seriously, don’t get all arrogant on me all of a sudden but you already are pretty amazing.) This brings us to # 3…MEDITATION
3. Meditation
This may be a bit cliché but stick in here with me, this is my last helpful tip that has worked for me. I am a big fan of meditation, normally I prefer to clear my mind and unwind but recently I’ve added a little flare. In those moments in bed, just before falling asleep, pay close attention to your body, imagine it tight, skinny, and fit. Imagine it has been the body of your dreams all day. Specifically walk through your day with your new body. What you did today with body you’ve always wanted, what clothes did you wear? How do you feel? What about all the nice things people said to you about how great you look? It is crucial in this practice that you envision you have this body NOW, not in the future. My experience with this was impressive and strange. Right now I’m 25lbs overweight and only 3 weeks into my journey (lost 8 lbs. already!) and I feel like my body is catching up with my mind. My head is telling me I’m fit, my body has proven follow thus far.
Best wishes to you in your journey. I’m not a personal trainer and these opinions are only a reflection of my experience and nothing more. I hope you like what I’ve offered, if not then take what you did like and simply leave the rest.

rebeccaj822

Great post!!! Love the meditation idea. Many thanks.

ironhajee

Thanks for your insight!

KrazedBemused

Great post!! I'm going to send you a friend request. After battling with my weight for years, I feel a burden to my husband constantly talking about accountability. I too do mediation every evening, have done for 2-3 weeks now and find it's a great tool. I have 14kg to lose, and have lost 4.5kg since the beginning of the year.

shanegan160

Well if you feel like maybe your husband use a break then you can always be accountable to MFP Congrats on the 4.5kg!

Rocknut53

Thanks for your post. For me, it's always been a mental challenge. I have eliminated the word "diet" from my vocabulary for that very reason. Nothing sets me up for failure more than saying, "I am going on a diet." At 62, the time has come for me to make a "rest of my lifetime" commitment to better health through better eating and consistent exercise. I never thought when I was 40 and in excellent health that I would be fighting this at the age I am now. Time is precious and limited...this is my last shot and I need to make it count.

fitmek

Wonderful post!!! Mental food issues are my worst enemy, so it's refreshing to see what works best for others!

KrazedBemused

Thanks @shanegan160, that's the plan! @Rocknut53 I'm with you Nah to the word "diet" and hell yeah to "lifetime commitment"!!!

Karmc2k

Thanks Shanegan160 for your post. I need all the help I can get with motivating myself to eat less. I am trying to be more conscious of the taste and sensations when I eat and also trying not to eat when I am not hungry, I literally ask myself a couple of times daily,"Are you really hungry?" I can't believe how much you need to condition your mind to eat better. I am now going to try your meditation suggestion, I think it will be really helpful.