Mind Games 2: Trash Talk and More

 Welcome back!  Here are more mind games you can play to trick yourself into eating healthier!

Also, don't miss

Mind Games 1 (more on diet)

Mind Games 3 (exercising) 

Mind Games 4 (motivation)

Accentuate the Negative

Every time you eat something you shouldn’t and you have any kind of negative feeling, cling to that memory and recall it any time you’re confronted with that food in the future.  Ate a bunch of candy and didn’t really enjoy it?  Remember that.  Ate a large order of french fries and they sat in your stomach like lead?  Remember that!  Ate a muffin instead of a healthier breakfast and you were already hungry by 9:30 a.m.?  REMEMBER THAT!

Stop repeating history.  And whenever possible, have a healthier alternative food nearby that you can turn to when you have to fight temptation.  I keep a stack of protein bars (don't buy ones with lots of sugar) or a jar of peanut butter in my desk drawer at work.  (Yes, peanut butter!  A spoonful of straight up peanut butter can be very satisfying.  It even helps my sweet tooth, believe it or not.)  Protein bars and peanut butter can also make you fat if you eat them like a maniac, but they make good alternatives if eaten in reasonable portions.

Trash Talk

This is going to sound crazy.  But it totally works for me and I’ve heard from other people who also said it worked for them.  Trash-talk the junk food.  Not like, literally say rude things out loud, but inside your head, pretend that the junk food wants you to eat it.  Tell it you don’t need it.  Laugh in its face.  Call it stupid names.  Let your inner diva loose.  Walk right by and flip it off.  Treat it like you wish you could treat your boss or your ex.  Exercise all the cruelty in your soul.

For example: “Psssh, donut?  No, I don’t think so.  The last time I ate a donut I was sleepy for the rest of the day, and I didn’t even LIKE it that much.  Damn thing was stale!  You can just stay in that box and beg for someone else to eat you, because there’s no way I’m touching you.  Yeah, that’s right, cry, stupid donut, because you’re pathetic.”

You might be surprised just how emotionally satisfying this can be.  Plus, by the time you’ve gotten through your sassy little speech, you’ve hopefully stalled through the moment of danger and you can think more rationally about why you don’t need that food.

Don’t Trash Talk Yourself, Though

Well...some people actually tell me this works for them, hating themselves every time they fall off the wagon and calling themselves “Fatty” every time they look in the mirror.  But I think most people are more likely to give up altogether once they start with the negative self-talk.  It’s just too easy to go from “I’m bad because I failed” to “I’m bad, so why bother?”.  Don’t go there.

Don’t wallow in guilt if you cheat and eat something you know you shouldn’t, but do resolve to get back on the horse.  Sugar tends to be addictive, so your body will crave it after you’ve had some.  Be prepared for that: keep the healthy alternatives in easy reach and redouble your efforts to take the emotional feelings out of your food choices.  If you can, throw away the tempting foods while you’re still determined.

See Yourself as a Healthy Eater

Don’t try to eat healthy.  Be a Healthy Eater.   Be the kind of person who is okay with a banana for dessert.  Be the kind of person who preps their lunches in advance, so you don’t have to worry about what you’re eating.  Be the kind of person who makes special requests at the restaurant.  You might think it’s impossible, but you’re trying to change yourself physically, and that’s going to take at least a little bit of mental change too.

Think you’ve been an unhealthy eater for too long to change how you see yourself?  Screw that, you don’t have to be chained to who you used to be.

Think other people will scoff at your turnaround?  Yep, probably.  Screw them, they don’t own you.  If they sneer, remember that’s usually the sign of a person who knows they should be doing better themselves, and their guilt causes them to take pot shots.

Think last night’s binge means you lose your Healthy Eater credential?  Screw that!  Don’t wallow, don’t send yourself hate mail, just resolve to settle for a small treat next time, and go grill some chicken breasts.

But...the Food at the Office...

Yes, I know it's free.  If that fact hypnotizes you into picking up something you shouldn't eat, wake up before it goes in your mouth, sneak over to the trash can, and throw it away.  Just because it's free doesn't mean you have to eat it.

Surprise Yourself

You might be surprised that you can make this work, but I won’t be.  I know you can do this nutrition thing.  It might take work, but you’re worth the effort.  Now go out there and talk yourself into being a Healthy Eater!

Best wishes,
The Friendly Lifter


P.S. - If you have a Costco store in your area, I'd like to recommend their Kirkland (store brand) protein bars.  They are pretty yummy and have a much better protein-to-sugar ratio than any other bar I've found.  Costco also has great deals on protein powder--I swear, my savings on protein powder alone pay for my annual membership.