Tool 2: Accountability to Food



Photo:  isabellang.blogspot.com

To achieve and maintain lifelong weight loss, we need to admit that food is our drug of choice, we eat when we don't feel physical hunger, and we sometimes feel out of control when we eat.



Aren't they purty? [Heavy sigh.]

We all have our trigger foods.  Mine are Oreos and chocolate-covered pretzels.  I know that if I see or smell them anywhere, there's no stopping me.  And, unlike other people, I can't limit myself to just one or two.  No, no.  The concept of portion control goes out of the window, I get "in the zone," start snarfing down those puppies and generally feel powerless over what and how much I'm eating.  The feeding frenzy winds down with a big swig of Guilt.  I own this.  Not proud of it, but I own it.

The solution I've found to avoiding this is simply not to bring triggers into the house.  Should I find myself somewhere that these foods are being served, I have to physically remove myself and go in another room or outside.  Oh, the chocolatey deliciousness still calls my name, of course, but I hold up my shield and fill up on veggies and fruit. 

Today is a better day!

Sometimes I am victorious; other times, the pretzels win.  If I slip, I take responsibility, forgive myself, put it behind and move on.  We all can start fresh every day.

Being accountable to food can also be achieved by journaling everything you put in your mouth every day.  Weight Watchers offers an online journal that calculates the values of all foods and keeps track of how many points I've taken in.  One could also write down in an actual journal what's eaten at each meal and between.  It would be very helpful, also, to document how you feel when eating.  The mind-gut connection is a powerful one.

Believe it or not, we really are in control.

The concept of accountability to food is not meant to beat yourself up or make you feel like a failure.  We are human and we are not perfect.  Instead, it's a tool to make us aware, responsible, and take control over the foods we eat, how much we take in, and recognize those triggers that can easily pull us off track.

Takeaway:  Recognize your trigger foods and take action to stay away from them.  You alone get to decide how to feed your body, and mindful choices will keep you on your program most of the time.




(c) Robyn Posson 2012. all Rights Reserved.