Decrease the Accessibility of Food
Usually I work on the emotions or motives behind eating mindlessly, but on this occasion I would like us to discuss the foods we tend to crave!
When facing food in your house that you know you should avoid, you must place as many obstacles as possible between you and the ‘danger food'. The more barriers you set up, the greater the likelihood you will be able to resist temptation. The following are just a few suggestions of steps you might take:
• Buy only pre-packaged portions of your danger food. Smaller unit packages may cost more per ounce, but you will save money in the long run (aside from expenses for losing weight that you will gain from eating them to excess). If you buy a larger bag of cookies, you are more likely to finish them off once the bag has already been opened. If you have to open several small bags to eat the same number contained in a larger bag, you have to make a choice each time you open a new bag to eat more. It will automatically make you stop and think!
• Store your danger foods behind the first row of the refrigerator, near the back of the shelf. You won't see them each time you open the refrigerator door and you will have to move another food out of the way to get at them.
• Store non-refrigerator items on shelves in your cupboard that are so high up, you have to get a stool to reach them. Put the stool in another part of the house. It will take more time to get them down (delay tactic) and as an extra bonus you'll get a little exercise by having to take more steps to complete your task.
• Freeze danger foods once they have been portion-controlled. Bread and muffins, for instance, can be kept frozen except for one or two slices.
• When you are in a restaurant, have someone else order for you. If it's a buffet style meal ask a friend to fill your plate for you (you can do the same for them). By filling each other's plates it is more likely that you'll both end up with more reasonable portions.
• At a party or when visiting at a friend's home, place yourself as far away from the snacks as you can get. Turn your back to where the food is displayed if you cannot locate yourself in another room of the house. When you do serve yourself, get only one piece at a time. Go back each time for another one. You'll have to excuse yourself from the conversation you may be engaged in at the moment.
These are all obstacles of one sort or another. Once you have begun to think in this manner, many more ideas will present themselves to you as you go about your daily activities. Remember, any method that makes your danger food less accessible will help you cope with the influence these foods exert on you.
You can do it. Never give up.
Dr. Doug