There are many pieces of advice on the Internet about how to lose weight. Some give you insight into the psychology of overeating. Others share their own weight loss journeys. But some are just plain clickbait and contain nothing but encouragement to subscribe to fad diets.
You have probably heard that blue is the color that suppresses appetite. And that eating on smaller plates will make you eat less than normal. So yes, you can switch your plates to smaller ones and buy home decor kitchen accessories in blue. But you also have to realize that you should address the root of the problem.
Yes, those little tips may help, but up to what point? Until when are you going to eat on smaller plates? Or how long will you stare at blue walls?
Your bad eating habits are what make it impossible to sustain weight loss. It’s all the years of yo-yo dieting that ruined your relationship with food. It’s a domino effect from there.
You fall prey to fad diets. And you have a negative body image. But the good news is that there is still hope. Your food issues are something you can fix. Little by little, you will get there. By changing one small thing every day, you are well on your way to a healthier you
1. Get to the bottom of your bad relationship with food
Before you can even move forward, you have to sit and ask yourself a few questions. It’s important to evaluate where your relationship with food is currently at. Ask yourself a few questions to determine how you should start solving the problem.
- Do you cut out certain food groups because they are bad for you?
- Do you rely on calorie counting apps to tell you how much you eat?
- Do you not listen to your body’s signals for hunger?
- Do you have certain hours in a day when you are not allowed to eat?
- Do you feel anxious to eat in a social setting because other people may judge you?
- Do you have times when you can’t stop eating even though you are already full?
- Do you ever feel guilty for eating too much?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, then you clearly have to reset how you view food and your body. It’s not really about the fact that you do all these things, it’s the emotions attached to these actions that you need to work on. Feeling stressed, guilty, or embarrassed about your food choices is a sign that your relationship with food needs fixing.
2. Practice mindful eating
Once you have successfully identified the negative emotions you attach to food, the next step is to practice mindful eating. People say that living at the moment means tuning all your senses into the surrounding sensations. That’s the same with food.
Slow down and enjoy. Who knew enjoying your food is key to maintaining a healthy weight? Chew your food slowly. Focus on the texture and the flavor of your food. Is it sweet, tangy, or crunchy? Is this something that you’d like to have again next time?
Slowing down and savoring your food will help you identify what food you actually like. Also, make sure to eat with no distractions. Just focus on eating. Be there.
3. Do not restrict any food group
The body uses calories to fuel its activities. The calories it uses up come from food. So, yes, eat whatever you want because all kinds of food bring energy to your body.
However, you need to understand that the body only needs so much in a day. And different types of food give the body different amounts of calories. 100g of strawberry milkshake has around 100 calories. You can get the same amount of calories in a huge bowl of shredded lettuce. It’s obvious that lettuce is the better choice in terms of volume.
But does this mean you can’t have a milkshake? Of course not. The calorie count is there to guide you make better choices. You can have a cup of your favorite drink from time to time. The key here is moderation. The more you restrict yourself, the less likely is the success of your journey.
Remember that your body is a machine that needs fuel. Considering how small your body is, does it really need that much fuel?
You did not acquire your food habits overnight. This means that it will also take a long time of continuous effort to unlearn them. Just keep showing up every day and you will succeed.
