while, but not enough to stretch waistbands to the breaking point.
My nickname should be King of the Doggie Bag. I will take home
anything that’s left after a meal out, even the smallest portion. That’s
because my tendency to overeat comes from guilt about wasting food. (I
was raised in that classic home environment where grown-ups told you to
clean your plate because there are starving children around the world.)
Now I plan to bring food home with me, so I don’t feel pressure to hoover
everything on my plate.
If I taste something I really like (see ice cream, chocolate) and know I
might go down a bad road, I quickly look for some kind of palate changer.
So I have a breath mint or brush my teeth if I can. At a party I’ll eat an
olive, which has a strong enough taste to erase the mouthfeel high I might
be getting from something unhealthy on the buffet table. That immediately
and effectively roadblocks my keep-eating reflex.See how they’re not really rules, per se? I could very well say “no desserts in
the home, don’t finish the plate, no more than two bites of bad food,” but I don’t
think that’s the effective way to handle eating.
Look at your own life and figure out where it’s difficult to eat well. Maybe
you graze when you cook or you clean your child’s plate so you don’t waste
food. Identify some of your danger zones, then create some strategies for dealing
with them. Ask yourself, “How can I make it easier to do better in those
situations?” It’s all about smart systems and diversionary tactics that empower
you instead of needling you.
YOU MAKE THE RULES: ONE EASY TRICK
FOR GAINING CONTROL
Researchers have studied the power of a simple word swap when it comes
to behaviuor change. When you’re giving something up, say “I don’t”
rather than “I can’t.” As in: “I just don’t eat pie,” rather than “I can’t eat
pie.” This is different than someone telling you not to do it; this is you
making a decision about what you do and don’t do. That simple shift,
researchers found, flips the narrative of control. You’re the one in charge,
not some diet plan—and this leads to more successful outcomes.