Hi there reader
Today I want to talk about junk food because it's a topic that comes up often in the Organize Yourself Skinny Facebook Group.
I get it. I'm not someone that can give up my favorite junk food and never look back; I wish! I've been on my weight loss journey since 2010, and I still have my challenges with junk food.
Staying away from junk food is a constant effort for me. I've created specific rules (or guidelines) to help me keep junk food under control.
Here they are.
Keep trigger food out of the house.
Over the years, I've identified specific "trigger" foods I can't have in the house. For example, pretzels or cheez it's won't last a day in my presence. Therefore, I keep them out of the house because I never won no matter how many times I tried to practice willpower with these foods.
We should set up our homes to support weight loss efforts, not sabotage them. So if you find it impossible to resist that bag of Doritos, ice cream, or chocolate, then keep it out of the house. The last thing you want to do is tap into willpower while at home.
Keep the pantry and refrigerator filled with healthy alternatives.
One of the best pieces of advice I can give to help you create healthier eating habits is to keep healthy food available. The best ways to do this is by:
- Stocking your pantry with healthy food and ingredients
- Meal prep
It's so much easier to eat healthy when healthy food is ready and waiting in your refrigerator or pantry. Click below to read. I put together a list of favorite foods to have stocked in my kitchen.
| The Ultimate List of Healthy Pantry Staples |
Make homemade treats.
One way I've learned to enjoy treats is by working for them. Meaning, instead of purchasing cookies (or other goodies), I prepare them homemade.
Making homemade treats helps in a couple of ways.
First, it practices delayed gratification. By taking the time to prepare treats, you take time to think before eating.
Second, YOU control the ingredients, not the food companies. This means better, more wholesome ingredients instead of processed junk. Anytime you make clean homemade food, it's going to be better for you.
Portion out treats.
If it's challenging to remove junk altogether, I recommend purchasing portion-controlled bags or portioning out the treats yourself. You can even go a step further by writing the calories on the bags to know precisely what you're eating.
When trying to change healthier eating habits staying intentional is critical. Grabbing a handful from the box or bag will cause mindless eating every time - you want to get away from this.
Don't eat while watching TV.
Yes, I know it's easier said than done. But if you sit on the couch every night with a bag of popcorn to watch your favorite show, then it might be time to reevaluate that habit.
More than likely, it's not about the food. Think about it, you just ate dinner a short time ago, and you're probably not even hungry. However, you're accustomed to eating and watching TV, so that's what you do.
Instead of paying attention to calories or portions, we are just mindless eating while watching our shows. Trust me; I've been there.
Paying attention to the food you eat will help you eat less, so my advice is to either remove food from TV time or portion it out.
Don't eat after 7:00 pm.
This rule is my best for keeping late-night snacking under control. In my experience, my calories for the day are gone once I eat dinner, so any extra food will cause me to go over for the day.
Having that cut-off time sends a signal to my brain that I'm done eating for the day. This simple strategy has been key to staying within my daily calories limits.
If you struggle with junk food, I hope you find these guidelines helpful.
The biggest thing to remember is that it's not about the food but the habit surrounding the food. So focus on the habit, and then it's likely you'll get the food under control.
Talk to you soon
Tammy
Organize Yourself Skinny
PS: One of my favorite places for healthy and organic pantry items is online at Thrive Market. They have great prices on some of the best clean eating brands! Thrive Market is also a great resource for gluten-free items. Organize Yourself Skinny readers get 25% off your first order. Get the discount here.
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