“Last year, I ate my son’s entire bucket of Halloween candy,” Stacey confessed. I was so embarrassed that I went out at 2 a.m. to buy an assorted mixture to replace it, so that my son wouldn’t find out that his mom is a pig,” she continued during a recent session.
“What did you eat?” I asked, curious about what her favorite candy might be.
“I don’t even know. I ate it so quickly that I didn’t even enjoy it,” she said.
Stacey’s story is a common one. Women deprive themselves of little indulgences and, like a bat out of hell, they can gobble up a bag of candy in a matter of minutes.
So, to help you through the next few days (and the rest of your life), when little pleasures can turn into huge regrets, I’ve put together this little guide to help save little Johnnie’s candy collection (and your waist).
End Game
How do you want to feel at the end of the day when you lie down in bed? Stuffed? Sad? Disappointed? Like a failure?
I didn’t think so. So, create a different plan. It really is that simple.
If you want to feel in control, successful, fulfilled, and grateful for a wonderful and fun holiday, then state that has your intention. You get to choose how you feel, so decide on the feeling.
End games are like little playbooks for the soul. They help align goals with actions. After creating your end game, focus on how it will feel to have achieved your intention. Carry that feeling with you throughout the day. Ask yourself, how does a woman who is in control and successful act? Trust me, it will make a bag of candy corn extremely unappealing.
Plan
When you have your end game, you must then create your plan. The goal is not for you to deprive yourself of treats. The goal is for you to strike a balance between overindulgence and deprivation.
Planning should occur on two levels. First, plan what obstacles you may run into. Maybe you are most likely to “lose control” between the hours of eight and ten at night or that you go unconscious at the neighborhood Halloween party and eat three times more than you normally would. Just having this awareness will help you help yourself. Plan on staying mindful. Have a plan for dealing with your unique challenges (and trust me, we all have them).
The second part of planning deals with food itself. You can still partake in the festivities, but your secret weapon to a happy ending is to plan your treat. Don’t mindlessly start tearing open candy wrappers without thinking about what you really want to consume.
Choose your favorite candy, and then continue this exercise.
Upgrade
I encourage clients to upgrade their foods when possible. An example upgrade is trading in the super sweet milk chocolate for a high quality dark chocolate. However, if you are craving a Reese’s cup, then don’t try to substitute it with a sugar-free, fat free version (if there is such a thing). Eat the real thing.
Your body deserves the best fuel available, so don’t settle for the cheap grade.
Sit down
Once you have chosen your treat, sit down. You are less likely to overeat when sitting down, and you will definitely enjoy it much more.
Studies have shown that people who eat standing up, eat far more food with less satisfaction. So, grab a chair, and continue.
Stay Mindful
So, you have your treat, a chair, and you are ready to eat? Not so fast. The key to developing a pleasurable relationship with food is to stay mindful when eating it.
To stay present, notice the texture, taste, aroma, and color of your little indulgence. With each bite, notice how the tastes change. At what point does it stop tasting as good?
This exercise alone has brought clients huge epiphanies. “I don’t even like crème filled donuts,” one client confessed after eating one mindfully. “They are way too sweet,” she added.
I have had the same revelations when it comes to food. When you are aware of, not only the way foods impact the senses, but how it feels in your body, you will gradually discover that you choose not to eat certain things. For example, I cut back on dairy and sugar because I don’t like the way it makes me feel. Do I feel deprived? No, not at all. I feel great, actually! It has nothing to do with deprivation and everything to do with self-love (more on this later!).
Mindful eating is a necessary component of successful weight programs, so start paying attention to your food, even the bite-sized Halloween candy.
Enjoy
Guilt is NOT allowed in my approach to weight loss. In my opinion, guilt is a useless emotion that will have you waist deep in the freezer looking for the Ben & Jerry’s.
In this country, especially, food has been turned into this evil enemy. So, even though human nature is to enjoy food, many people find themselves in love/hate affair with their meals. No more. I draw the line here. Food is to be enjoyed. Period.
If you overeat, guilt does not make the experience go away, so learn from it and move on!
Small Victory
Being able to enjoy your holidays without deprivation is a huge personal victory. These small accomplishments add up over time. To transform your body does not mean that you must give up the foods you enjoy. It means that you must be kind to yourself by finding that sweet balance where you can enjoy a piece of chocolate AND create the body you deserve.
Happy Halloween. I would love to hear how this little guide helps you through this sugar season.
