The Foods that Hook You
Posted on: September 12, 2016 in Category: Wellness Guide
The Foods that Hook You
Wouldn’t it be great if as soon as you decided to lose weight, kale smoothies and ice water would call your name just as loudly as chocolate cake and fried chicken? There are some foods that just seem to speak to you, to call to you, to hook you in a way that you can’t shake—making sticking to your weight loss diet and losing weight all the more difficult.
During your medical weight loss program you will be provided with ongoing guidance and support to help you reach your weight loss goal, but when you aren’t with your weight loss doctor, it is up to you to make the healthiest choices available. This is easier said than done. It doesn’t matter how strong your resolve is, at some point, somewhere, you are going to be tempted by something. The best thing you can do is know that temptation is going to happen, be aware that it happens to everyone, and have a plan in place to avoid giving in as much as possible.
Food Addiction: A Real Problem?
There are plenty of unhealthy substances out there that are known as addictive, but what about junk food? The problem with calling food addictive is that you actually need food to survive, which means that at the root of the issue, everyone is addicted to eating. However, you don’t need all foods to survive. Foods like cookies and pretzels and chips and pizza are not necessary to survival, and yet they seem to be some of the hardest to give up.
The reality is that while junk foods themselves may not be addictive, the behavior surrounding the consumption of these foods does model basic addiction patterns. Put simply, people will eat “problem foods” like those listed above despite their level of hunger, despite their interest in eating, and despite their knowledge that the foods are bad for their weight loss goals.
The foods that are most likely to generate these unhealthy eating behaviors are foods that are highly processed and loaded with sugar and fats.
Knowing this information can help you avoid problematic eating behavior. Being aware of the foods that are most likely to break you from your healthy eating goals can help you become more diligent and focused when those foods are available. Having this knowledge base can set you up for success in those moments of temptation by giving you time to create a plan. Instead of reaching for the junk food, reach for a glass of ice water or snack on something that you know fits with your weight loss plan. When it comes down to it, this is what medical weight loss programs prepare you for.