Let’s Overcome Guilty Pleasure Cravings

It’s so good…it’s so bad. Let’s be honest, we have all been there; when you said you would only have one slice of the triple chocolate mousse cake and somehow ended up with three or have one too many glasses of your favorite wine on date night. It happens from time to time, and good news is that you can control it.
  1. Stress Less: People deal with stress in all sorts of ways and it is common for people, when they feel stressed, they seek the comfort of food (hence the term comfort food). So excuse me just for a bit while I get all scientific with you, so what happens when you are stressed is that your adrenal glands release cortisol, a hormone that increases appetite and in general it increases levels of motivation- which may include the motivation to eat. I know, it sounds a bit overwhelming, but the good news is that when stress decreases, the hormone is not produced. So simple enough, right? Well not for everyone! Some people find it really difficult to stop worrying and stressing over everything, what may work for these people is practice. Practice deep breathing, letting things go, and letting your muscles relax.

  2. Do NOT go to grocery stores hungry: We have done it, you forget to eat lunch and then head over to the grocery store. Uh-oh, bad idea- this is equivalent of letting a starving person loose inside a grocery store. Okay, okay I may be a little dramatic, but you know what I mean. Cornell University did a study on this relationship and found that people who go into supermarkets when their tummies are growling and grumbling they are more likely to fill up their carts with high calorie and “guilty pleasure” foods. Even a short amount of food deprivation can affect how you will shop for groceries. Grocery shopping needs to be done with a rational mind, which means your tummy needs to be satisfied before you take the trip, also don’t forget to make a grocery list so you stay on track!

  3. Drink more water: Water can be boring and it is easier and sometimes tastier to pass on the water for the more sugary option. The issue with the sugary option is that it will not fill you up and they end up being empty calories. Water on the other hand can fill you up. Drink a glass or two before every meal. Not only will you be hydrating yourself, but you will be less inclined to eat a super-high calorie meal because it cues the brain to feel fuller faster.

  4. Slow and steady wins the race: No, no I am not saying you should be a tortoise. What you need to take away from the tortoise is that you should not eat every meal as if it is a sprint, take your time and wait a few seconds between bites. The reason for this is that there is a delay between the time you take the bite and when you actually feel satiation from it. This delay is anywhere between 10-30 minutes. It helps to eat with someone and have a conversation while eating or if you are eating alone, eat while watching a 30 minute television show and make sure the meal lasts the entire time.

  5. And Indulge: I know, this sounds like the biggest contradiction to everything I just said, but I want you to know that it is OK to indulge every once in awhile. The main thing to remember is to find a balance. So when you are indulging in your favorite cookies, have a few but try not to have the entire box. And if that just doesn’t work for you, you can always come to Urban Boxing DC and we will help you work off all those guilty pleasure calories.
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