I Feel Your Pain - Part 2

Let’s get honest here. We all have favorite foods that can make us fat, so I’ve taken a good hard look at those that are addictive to me and will be obstacles to my weight loss plan over the next 8 weeks.

Here is a list of my personal problem foods, along with my reasons (excuses) for eating them the way I do, and also the strategies I’ll use to change my behavior.

Nuts
o My problem - handy, high-calorie finger food with no prep time, so it’s easy to grab a handful without thinking, just because they’re there.
o My excuse – I know they are very high in fat, but hey – those monounsaturated fats are good for me!
o My strategy – I won’t keep nuts in the house, and will limit myself to eating nut butter once per day – a small amount on whole grain toast.

Granola
o My problem – high-calorie and easy for me to munch on throughout the day.
o My excuse – granola is better than a candy bar, and it’s made from healthy ingredients. There are far worse things for me to snack on!
o My strategy – I’ll limit granola to ½ cup per day, eaten only at breakfast time.

Chips
o My problem - they’re a comfort food for me, and I usually crave them at night when watching TV, or after a stressful day as a reward.
o My excuse - I’ll only eat a few at a time (which I never do), and I deserve an occasional snack.
o My strategy – I won’t let them into my shopping cart in the first place, so if I do get a craving they won’t be readily available to me.

Avocados
o My problem – I can easily eat 2 whole avocados (322 calories each, 80% fat) at one time when made into guacamole– usually with chips!
o My excuse – the fat in avocado is healthy, plus they also contain a lot of fiber. That’s good.
o My strategy – no more guac! I’ll only eat avocado if I can share one with my wife, so I don’t eat more than half at a time.

Restaurant foods
o My problem – Portions are big, and it’s easy to underestimate salt, sugar, fat and calories – even if I order “healthy.”
o My excuses – it’s convenient and easy; I don’t like to take food home, or leave it on my plate.
o My strategy – when not traveling, I’ll eat at a restaurant no more than once per week; when on the road, will eat only 2 meals out per day, and no later than 5 p.m.; will split entrees with my wife or ask for half-portions when ordering. Never hurts to ask! I’ll stop eating when no longer hungry, no matter how much is left on the plate.

Join me on my journey and go through the same exercise – figure out what foods cause you to gain weight and what you’re going to do about them. Doing this will help solidify your action plan for success.


The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.