WTF? (Where’s The Food?)
{Source: Vintage Everyday}
I’ve heard people say that just thinking about food makes them fat. WTF?
The truth is that these people are expressing an intuitive frustration. Digestion actually starts in your head. Research in Health Psychology found that thoughts about food arouses an insulin response as the body prepares to follow your desire to eat.
The more sugary foods you think about, the more insulin is released. Long story made short: when insulin is high, so is fat storage.
So, don’t even think about it.
How do you stop those naughty girl cake and candy fantasies? Are we really in control of our minds?
I know first hand that the idea of controlling your mind may seem daunting, if not impossible. For me, cravings feel like a hostile takeover that would leave me feeling out-of-my-mind, out-of-control and weak.
I lived in a constant battle that divided my mind and body. My mind was the underdog. The logical part of me knew that submitting to my cravings was harming every aspect of my health. But, my physical cravings were overwhelming.
I had to run a minimum of 50 miles a week just to keep my weight balanced. After eating, I would get brain foggy and have trouble concentrating. I was so low on energy that getting through the day without a nap was a mythical idea.
I decided that instead of fighting myself, I would have to unite myself, to nurture a mind-body connection.
If my mind and body were going to meet in the middle, shake hands and Kumbaya, either my mind would have to become stronger or my cravings would have to become weaker.
“You can’t solve a problem using the same mind that created it.” ~ Albert Einstein
I doodled out a map of possibilities for how to prevent the cravings from coming. This is what I came up with: cravings are like roaches, you can spray them all you want, but if there’s trash on the floor they’re going to keep showing up.
To reduce cravings you have to take out the trash-like, craving-inducing foods and clean up your body.
Initially, it took effort to make healthy choices and eat real meals. But, I enjoyed it more than feeling out of control and ashamed. My choices were finally aligned with what I wanted for my body and life, as opposed to the candy, which was not what I ‘really’ wanted.
Within a week of my real-meal commitment, my cravings significantly decreased in frequency and intensity. Within a month, I started to desire healthy foods. I’m not going to tell you that all sweet, sugary temptations were fully eliminated like magic, but I will tell you that today I rarely have cravings for unhealthy foods.
Feeding my body strengthened my mind. It is incredibly freeing, both physically and mentally, to have your thoughts in union with your actions. To think green juice and drink it. Rather than think triple chocolate fudge and drink green juice.
Fighting with yourself is a one way ticket to an unhappy life. You have the power to align your thoughts with your actions to create a body and life you love.
Here’s how you can support yourself in aligning your mind and body.
3 Daily Practices to Naturally Stop the WTF-ing.
1. Eat Full Meals Every 3-4 Hours.
You’re fantasizing about food for a reason. Your blood sugar is low and your body is starving! Consistently feeding your body healthy foods zaps physical cravings, which is the first step to minimizing emotionally driven cravings. Eat clean and often.
2. Be Present.
Instead of allowing cravings and thoughts about food to take you away, stay in your body. Listen to what you and you’re body are really needing.
3. Develop Happy Habits.
Prioritize your participation in activities or hobbies that bring you happiness. By meeting your own emotional needs you’ll be less likely to seek satisfaction externally through food.
With time, you will develop a healthier lifestyle and a happier you.
{Yes, you can}
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