Investigating Your Eating
/Here’s a quick and easy way to investigate your eating behaviors AND, more importantly, help you make wise decisions about what you choose to put into your mouth!
Investigators and reporters use the who, what, when, where and why method to gather clues about whatever it is they are investigating. You can use this simple method to learn more about your eating habits. Awareness is the first step to change, so you can use what you learn as a way to improve your food choices! Let’s try it. Imagine yourself in a situation where you are faced with making a food choice. For this example, let’s say you are at work and the boss throws an ice cream social to thank all of the employees for their hard work. Answer the following questions to help you make healthy choices.
WHO: Who will benefit from my eating ice cream?
No one will actually benefit from your eating ice cream.
Who will be negatively affected from my eating ice cream?
You will if you begin to talk negatively to yourself because you opted
for a food choice that leads you away from your goals. Your co-
workers and family members may be negatively affected if you are
upset with yourself and take your frustrations about your food choices
into your relationships with others.
WHAT: What will the consequences of eating ice cream be?
You may feel guilty, angry or frustrated with yourself. This can become
a negative spiral in which you treat yourself/others in negative ways.
You may gain weight and become even more frustrated and
disillusioned. When we are upset with ourselves, we are not our best in
our relationships with others, who will indirectly be affected because
we chose to eat ice cream.
WHEN: When did you choose to say ‘no’ to foods like ice cream that would lead you away from your healthy goals in the past?
How did you feel when you refrained from eating those foods? Proud?
Empowered? You’ve opted to say ‘no’ to unheathy food in the past and
you can do so today!
WHERE: Where do you want to be with your weight next week? Next month? Next year? Where can you turn to for support to get through a situation with food that is difficult?
Where have you been and where are you headed? If you’ve been
heavy in the past and perhaps regained weight after losing it before,
you know where you are headed if you make unhealthy food choices.
Keep in mind where you have been and how you got there. More
importantly, keep in mind where you are going – to a healthier life!
Have a list of people on your phone you can call for support in
difficult situations.
WHY? Why are you working hard to get to, and remain at, a healthy weight?
Remember the reasons you chose to lose weight. They will keep you
focused on your goals. Keep a list of your ‘whys’ where you can look
at it regularly. Reminding yourself of the things you want to do, the
places you want to, and the people with whom you want to go in the
forefront of your mind to help you maintain motivation to say ‘no’ to
unhealthy foods.
