self contol

I`ve lost it

Many diets fail because they focus on food and not what makes us fat.

Often when one diet is over; our weight starts to creep up again. To achieve more permanent weight control we have to develop more sensible eating habits.

Out lined below are a number of techniques of “self control” that are easy to learn and can help you eat how you should.

The methods are based on ideas on how people learn to change their eating habits. They are not magic solutions but people have found them useful

if you have a momentary lapse

Don’t look at it too negatively; everyone strays from the diet occasionally. One hiccup won’t effect your long term goal, the important thing to do is to decide what it is you would like, eat it, enjoy it and don’t feel guilty! If you try do deny your craving it is quite possible that you will end up eating twice as much calories in other food.

When and where to eat

Eat your meals at regular times of the day

Don’t do anything else (e.g. read watch tv) while you are eating

Resisting temptation

Work out your danger times, for example- when you are cooking meals, or in company, or bored, or anxious etc. So that you can be more prepared to deal with temptation, e.g. if your are tempted to nibble while making family meal, keep a low calorie drink beside you and sip it instead. If you need to taste foods during its preparation then use a small spoon.

If tempted to eat, start an activity which makes it difficult to eat at the same time (e.g. phone a friend, wash the floor, read the paper or go for a walk)

Don’t leave food lying around within easy reach, store al food in the kitchen and put extra food away.

Don’t buy the “wrong sort of food” always make a shopping list. Don’t go shopping if you feel hungry.

If you can prepare the next meal at a time when you’re not hungry.

Make sure you don’t feel hungry when you go in to a situation where you maybe offered the wrong types of food, (eat a low calorie food before hand).

Food is often used as a reward. Could this reward be some kind of activity e.g. when the children get in your nerves, is an éclair the answer, or would a good soak in the bath be as good.