Sometimes I think that the one thing I love most about being an adult is the right to buy candy whenever and wherever I want.
-- Ryan Gosling
Well, it's that time of year again. Along with the holiday decorations in stores now, there's also the "C" word.
And by that I mean candy.
Shelves are piled high with brightly colored bags of peanutty, chocolatey and chewy treats. It is all so tempting and hard to resist.
In an article from psychologytoday.com titled "How to Boost Your Willpower," author Denise Cummins writes that willpower, like a muscle, can be strengthened by use. But it can be weakened by overuse.
Using our imagination is a powerful technique for improving willpower. The body often responds to imagined situations in the same way it responds to real ones. When negative or unwanted thoughts intrude on our consciousness, we can imagine something pleasant or positive instead. We can be in the driver's seat of our thoughts.
Stress depletes willpower. When we are stressed, we tend to fall back on old habits like food or alcohol. We need to respond to stressors with healthier choices like exercise, calming music or even a comedy video. But sometimes that is easier said than done.
And we can work to not put ourselves in temptation's way. The old "out of sight, out of mind" routine might work. It helps to avoid people, places or food that put us in crisis, but if we can't, we can plan in advance how to handle it.
WEEK 9
We're now in the ninth week of following the advice in Jill Weisenberger's book Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week. I will admit I'm not doing as well as I'd hoped, but I'm hanging in there.
This week she challenges us to consider portion control. Weisenberger says that practicing control can lead to a bigger weight loss. She offers these strategies:
• No eating unless the food is in a dish. Don't eat off another person's plate or dig your hand into a bag of chips, crackers or candy.
• Pre-portion snacks in smaller bags or containers. They're easy to grab and go.
• If you eat out, do not "super size" your meal.
• Pre-plate your meal with the right portions and put the rest away.
• Slow down, sip water and try to make your meal last about 30 minutes.
• Get a food scale, portion plate and a good set of measuring cups.
• Pack your own lunch. Get it ready the night before, and make it something to look forward to. Variety is important so go online to find ideas.
The website of the American Diabetes Association, diabetes.org, sells a variety of cookbooks and gadgets, as well as a divided portion-control plate with a lid.
NEXT WEEK
Looking ahead, Week 1o will focus on bulking up our meals.
In Week 6, we discussed swapping one ingredient for another to lower fat and calories. Bulking up the meal is about making portions bigger without increasing calories. By slipping in vegetables, we can eat more for less. Ideas include:
• Replace lasagna noodles with thinly sliced zucchini.
• Upgrade your pasta, potato or rice dishes by adding foods like squash, asparagus, mushrooms, carrots or grape tomatoes.
• Top spaghetti squash with your usual sauce.
• Add vegetables to omelets, fajitas or quesadillas instead of meat and cheese.
• Add pureed vegetables to casseroles or soups.
• Substitute pureed cauliflower for half the potatoes in mashed potatoes. I can attest that this is yummy.
You get the drift. Sometimes it just takes imagination or good recipes.
Overall, day-to-day consistency is important. Whether it's the weekend, vacation or a special event, trying to stay the course is important. But if we falter, we can pick ourselves up, get back on track -- and quit trying to be perfect.
A perfect diet does not exist, so trying to behave that way might just send some of us off the deep end.
Email me at:
rboggs@arkansasonline.com
ActiveStyle on 10/12/2015