The Secret To Beating Food Addiction
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The World Health Organization, the National Institute of Health and the United Nations have been struggling to overcome this health concern. Obesity-related problems count for more than 80% of healthcare costs in our country. While the health industry is losing sleep trying to find the cause of this growing epidemic of food addiction, the food industry claims obesity is an outcome of personal choices. If we could all be more active and took personal responsibility, there would be no obesity. No food is good or bad, we just need to work out some.
What is Food Addiction?
But nobody really owns up to the fact that you would have to run another 3 miles to burn off the “healthy energy bar” you had after you got back from your morning run. Clever marketing makes you believe that energy bar is going to fuel you up post workout and ingenious food designing creates a craving that urges you to have more!
The science of food addiction is out there in the open now, really. A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has revealed that processed foods are made to give the consumer high levels of sugar (how long does sugar last?), salt and fat-three ingredients that induce addictions similar to cocaine and heroin.
The high glycemic index triggers the nucleus accumbens, an area in the brain that is the pleasure center. It is related with the regulation of dopamine and serotonin- neurotransmitters that makes up the “reward system” of the brain. It also leads you to return to it repeatedly. Hence the addiction.
The food makers and marketers are having you eat much more than you think, actually.
This is How
Processing: Modifying foods to eliminate the fiber, husk or shells makes it more palatable and easier to eat. It is basically like infant food for adults. Just imagine how long it would take you to eat a whole baked potato and the feeling of satiety the real baked potato gives you. Now, picture yourself hogging a whole tube of Pringles (how long do pringles last?). How long does it take? Minutes. How many calories does it contain? Far too many than a baked potato. How many more calories do you have to eat after that to even feel like you have eaten? Again, many more.
Added sugar, fat and salt: Everything we eat has a heavy dose of sugar, salt and fat these days. Food companies are adding sugar in products you wouldn’t imagine. Applesauce for babies, salad dressings (yes, even your healthy salads will have added sugars with those!), pasta sauce (how long does pasta sauce last?) and even children’s medicines. Add to this a good dollop of fat, and you have the recipe to a full on sugar addiction. Once consumers started getting smart about added sugar on food labels, the companies only got smarter. High fructose corn syrup (how long does corn syrup last?), honey, molasses (how long does molasses last?), cane sugar are now terms used to mask the presence of sugar on food labels.
Added chemicals and flavorings: Added flavorings are just so tricky. Tasting orange in your post workout juice gives you the impression that the juice is made from 100% fresh oranges, but nothing could be further from the truth. Billions of dollars go into designing food that tastes and smells like something it is not. For example, hot chocolate has truly little cocoa in it, but it is added with that chocolate flavor to give you real hot cocoa feels!
How To Beat Food Addictions
Because junk food is engineered to make you overindulge in it, even with the best intentions, many of us struggle to say NO. So, it takes a lot to beat the desire to actually say no. Every step you take is but fight against a carefully orchestrated system that has only one goal-to get you to eat as much as you can.
OK! So now that you are aware of this, it will serve as a weapon in your battle against the system and drop the addiction.
To Break The Cycle
Breaking through the cycle of overeating foods high on sugar salt and fat Is possible only when you stop eating them. But when you are surrounded by foods that will trigger you, no amount of willpower or effort will help. Instead, you need a system that'll prevent you from falling off the wagon.
The 3-Step System To Beat Cravings
1. The Awareness Card Method
Most of our responses to daily events are not conscious but preprogrammed. See some cookies at home? Eat them. Slouch on the couch as soon as you're home from work. So, basically, all our responses are the result of triggers. By controlling our responses to food, we can control our cravings.
Maintain a card that stays with you wherever you go. Each time you get a craving, note down what you were doing at that time (watching TV, working? post workout). Also note the mood that you were in at the time the craving hit.(tired, anxious, bored)
By the end of the week you will be surprised to see how much information you can derive from the awareness card. You will know if a certain mood makes you reach out for food or is it a specific time in the day that makes you think of it?
2. Avoid Triggers And Cues
If you know that sitting together with your coworkers is going to make you overeat or indulge in unhealthy food, try to avoid this gathering. Sit by yourself and have a balanced meal consciously or join someone who is going through the same struggle and is supportive of your decision.
Another helpful alternative and still change the routine that sets up the scene for a food craving. If you notice that watching TV causes you to eat a lot of junk, replace the TV viewing time with another activity. Talking to someone, reading a book or doing something more stimulating will help.
3. Food Rehab
This step mainly involves eliminating cues. Throw out all junk foods from your home, because if it is there you will eat it. Organize your mealtimes and eat from a well-rounded and diverse diet. This includes protein and fat at every meal, even if it is a little. Good fats like ghee, avocado, nuts (how long do nuts last?) and seeds are actually needed for solid physical and mental health.
Lastly, do not eat out. When you eat out, you expose yourself to all the junk food that we are looking to avoid in the first place.
Other Important and Beneficial Techniques to Beat Your Food Addiction Are:
Find a way to distract yourself: The best way to do this is to replace your junk eating habit with a healthy eating habit. If at the beginning you are not able to control your hunger pangs, try substituting chocolate with an herbal tea. If a workout session leads to you reaching for that sugary smoothie, replace your workouts with a brisk jog or even some yoga!
Reward yourself differently: Your old way was to treat yourself to an ice cream every time you completed a project. Change it to treating yourself to a massage. Both feel good, and only one doesn't give you a sugar overdose!
Maintain a junk food diary: You'll be surprised to know just how many butter cookies you popped in a day, when you write it all down. Eating while doing other chores can very much result in overindulgence. By writing it all down, you are aware of exactly watch you ate, how much of it was junk, processed foods etc.
The last and also one of the crucial things remember is to not give up. As humans, we are made to falter and fail, but the best thing about life is that you always have another chance. To beat your food addiction for good, you need to be kind and moderate to yourself throughout the process.
Believe in your ability, surround yourself with encouraging people and avoid junk food enablers.
