Apr 30, 2019
Junk food. We're surrounded by it. It's advertised to us constantly, it's in every store we shop in, and somehow it finds its way into our pantries every week.
Since you know that you can't out train a sh*tty diet, it's essential that the quality of your food is good most of the time.
I, like you, love junk food. And we love it because the food companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars finding ways for it to contain the precise amount of sugar, salt, fat, and chemicals for it to not only be overly delicious, but highly addictive.
But at the end of the day, it's our responsibility to NOT eat it. But it's clearly not working judging from the insanely high obesity rates in the U.S. alone.
And I've struggled with this for years personally. I love Pop-Tarts, Snickers bars, and Triscuits as much as anyone and it's a constant battle to keep those things out of my stomach.
So here are some of the strategies I've incorporated into my life in order to keep myself off the junk.
1. Keep it out of the house.
2. Train hard and consistently. If you do, you're much less likely to sabotage your efforts by eating junk.
3. Set a short term goal. One week at a time works well. Any longer can feel very limiting and like you’re sacrificing.
4. Chew sugarless gum.
5. Drink a gallon of water daily.
6. Have sweet things on hand. Fruit works well or even "healthy" protein bars are OK in a pinch.
7. Notice patterns of eating. Look for triggers. Emotional hunger cant be satisfied with food.
8. Try intermittent fasting for mindfulness with your foods. We just ran a 21 day challenge in the Inner Circle (www.fdnic.com) and it was an eye opening experience.
9. Allow yourself to eat it guilt free. If you eat junk, own it and move on. Don't let it hold you back or blow up your diet.
10. Add protein at every meal. Protein is the most satiating of all macronutrients, making you feel fuller.
11. Plan your meals. If you allow yourself to get to the point where you're starving, you'll have to rely on willpower. You’ll often make a bad choice to satisfy cravings. Know where your next meal comes from and you’ll come out ahead.
12. Get more sleep. Even being slightly sleep deprived can mess with your hormones and trick your brain into thinking its hungry, leading to overeating.
13. Don’t let your kids pick out your groceries because it will usually be Oreos and Popsicles.
14. Never shop hungry.