Awareness: The First Step in Change
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You can’t change something if you’re not aware of it! Most of us have several habits related to our eating behaviors that are not healthy. Some of these we’re aware of, and many of them we are not. In order to change unhealthy habits that lead us away from our goals of weight loss, weight maintenance, and an improved quality of life, we need to first become aware of them.
Here are five things to become aware of related to your eating habits and suggestions on how to turn them into healthy behaviors that support your goals!
Food Choice and Portion Size. Become aware of what you are eating – all the time. Here’s how:
Always eat PROTEIN first!
When you eat, do NOTHING else (no tv, reading, phone, etc.)
Look at your food (talk to it if you feel like it!), put your utensil down between bites, and chew, chew, chew.
Your Definition of a “Meal.” Realize that as a bariatric patient, meals aren’t what your grandparents fed you back in the day (i.e., way too much food)!
PROTEIN first, plus a veggie/cheese and/or some berries = a MEAL. End of story.
You can create amazing soups, stews, casseroles, omelets, and creative combinations using the above basics for hundreds of different meals.
When/Why you Turn to Food. Do you look for food when you are: bored, lonely, angry, sad, scared? Do you hope that food will numb/avoid your emotions? Do you use food to avoid being with yourself?
Learn healthy coping skills to address feelings (journaling, talking to a friend, walk and think, draw a picture of how you feel, etc.),
Learn to treat yourself with kindness and compassion (like you treat so many others).
Excuses You Create. Do you rationalize that you keep “junk food” in the house for your kids/spouse? Do you go to the drive-thru because you “don’t have time” for anything else? Do you pretend you “deserve” unhealthy “treats?”
Remind yourself that your job as a parent is to teach your children healthy eating behaviors and junk food is not a requirement in a home.
Make time to put a cooler with healthy food options in your car (remembering that you make time for tv shows, social media, etc.).
Learn to “treat” yourself with healthy behaviors and not food (a nap, a massage, 15 minutes to read a book, a bath)
With whom do you eat? Do you eat (and spend time) with people who encourage healthy or unhealthy eating behaviors? Do you eat (and spend time) with people who judge and criticize you or with people who support you?
Learn to say “no” to people who invite you to eat at places that put you in an uncomfortable position (buffets, ice cream parlors, etc.)
Learn to ask people to keep their comments about your food choices and eating habits to themselves, reminding them that you are responsible for your health.
Learn to say “no” to yourself at times (like when you want to give in to dessert), and learn to give yourself credit when you make healthy choices that lead you closer to your goals of weight loss and a better quality of life.
