Start with a piece then finish the whole thing? STOP SNACK BINGES!

Have you ever had "just one slice"?  Of pizza, of cake, of pie.  Or just one cookie, donut, or piece of candy?  Then one turns into another until you have eaten way more then you planned.  Then you decide you might as well finish it off because there is only a little left and you already blew it anyway...and you promise to do better next time.

Why do we go on a snacking binge?

1. We want to reward ourselves:  Many of us have received food as a reward since childhood (ice cream after the game, cake for birthdays, treats for good grades) and we carry this into adulthood.  We have stressful lives and jobs and "deserve" a cookie for going to the gym, cake for a bad day at work, ice cream to soothe a breakup.  We equate food with a prize; that is often how it ends up in front of us.

2.  We trick ourselves:   By eating something one slice or piece at a time, we let ourselves believe that we are not having a large amount.  Only when looking a the whole thing do we realize how much we've eaten.

3.  We were taught to clean our plates:  When there is only a little bit left, we have this instinct to finish it off that is quite different than when we look at the whole thing.  We are taught not to waste and finishing something gives the satisfaction of cleaning up.

4.  We feel the need to "hide the evidence":  I heard a story once of a woman who ate most of a cake then she was so embarrassed, she finished it off so her family wouldn't see how much she had eaten.   She baked a new one to replace it...and had to eat a piece out of that one because the first one had already been cut!

5.  We decide we already "blew it":  It is easy to justify continued binging with this mentality.  By deciding that we messed up, we can then decide "well, might as well mess up even more" because we feel bad about ourselves for overeating in the first place.  This self-defeating attitude lets the food be both reward and punishment which leads to uncomfortable inner conflict.

How do we stop ourselves from doing this?

Prevention 

• Don't keep large amounts on hand or don't keep temptation in the house at all.
• Know your triggers (stressful day, PMS, certain friends who overeat) so you can make an advance plan to defeat the triggers and emotions that lead to overeating.
• Eat with others.
• Take a photo of what you are about to eat.  Upload it to a Flash Diet website before you eat it. 
• Do something else...go for a walk, knit, volunteer, play with a pet, call a friend, exercise, dust...when you feel the urge coming on.
• Have a big glass of water, hot tea, or coffee.  Add cinnamon to a warm beverage for a dessert-like feeling. 
• Pre-plan a treat and make sure only one serving is available.
• Don't deprive yourself.  This will only set you up for a binge.
• Reward yourself with a manicure, massage, day off, a good book, time with a friend and other non-food treats.
• If you have something in front of you, make yourself wait 15 minutes before you can touch it.

Stopping a binge in progress

• Stand up and go brush your teeth.  Toothpaste flavor "resets" your mouth and doesn't go well with food.  Plus, less cavities!
• Open a bottle of vinegar and take a big sniff.
• Pop a piece of gum in your mouth.
• Put the rest away; cover it, put it in a container, put tape around it, then put it in a high cupboard (make it as inconvenient as possible to get more).
• Throw it away or put it down the garbage disposal (some things can be composted if you feel guilty about "wasting").
• Can't stop or have you pulled something out of the trash before?  Ruin it.  Pour vinegar on it, stir dirt in, whatever you have to do to make it completely inedible.
• Call a friend or go online to "break the spell" of the food.
• Walk away and distract yourself by doing something else (I don't recommend TV, the commercials can be brutal when you are having a major craving).
• Don't keep going just because you cheated on your diet.  Cheating does not give you a free pass to keep cheating!
• Ate some?  Want more?  Make yourself wait 15 min before the next piece...this cooling off period may help break the cycle.  During the 15 min, try some of the tricks listed above.

Remember, food is to nourish our bodies but we shouldn't be overly focused on food!  Sometimes it helps to get perspective...there are a lot of things going on in the world - miracles, tragedies - step outside your thought bubble or your staring contest with a candy bar.  Focus less on dieting and more on health.

Reader Question:  What are some effective ways that you have prevented or stopped a snack attack? Share your ideas in the comments section.

Healthy with Dr. Hope: Is your New Years Resolution already OLD news?

Healthy with Dr. Hope: Is your New Years Resolution already OLD news?

Is your New Years Resolution already OLD news?

Why are we talking about New Years Resolutions in March?

  

Because when we make a resolution, our intent is to change for the whole year (or forever!).  We begin each new year with excitement that this year will be the year that I finally make that change. Sadly, the statistics show that the vast majority of us have already given up on our resolutions by now.  Often, they are wonderful, noble, healthy resolutions...but if we don't make the change, we fail to reap the wonderful, healthy, noble benefits!  How will we find success when it is so common to give up or fail?  The answer: 
"Uncommon results require uncommon effort".  So what were YOUR resolutions?

  According to Google, the top 10 New Years Resolutions are:

• Learn something/go back to school
• Quit smoking
• Get fit/lose weight/eat healthier
• Spend more time with family
• Save money/get out of debt
• Travel more
• Volunteer
• Drink less alcohol
• Get organized 
• De-stress

Now as St. Patrick's Day approaches, its time to reassess and revitalize those resolutions...many of these have been swept up with the confetti after the New Year's party.

Why do New Years Resolutions Fail?  How can we finally achieve success?

"If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting what you have always gotten!" ~ W. L. Bateman

Most goals fail because they are too broad, unrealistic, or that the resolver is not ready or willing to take the steps to change.  Fail-proof your resolutions any time of year with the following steps:

1. Get specific:  "Get healthy this year" is a great goal (one of my favorites, in fact!) but how does one achieve this change?  A big resolution like this is rather broad and abstract and doomed to fail without setting some specifics.  After the buzz of the idea/goal (and champagne!) wears off, it is important to keep the broad goal in mind and begin to break it down into manageable bite-sized steps.  This way, you can avoid being overwhelmed and you will achieve the big goal by your achievement of each small goal.

2. Start defining:  Define what "Get healthy" means to you.  Lose weight?  Eat better?  Exercise more?  For an example, we will use the sub-goal of "exercise more".  Now, lets define the "more" part.  Do you exercise at all now?  If not, exertion once per year will accomplish the goal (but I suspect that is not the spirit of the resolution!).  How often do you plan to exercise?  What do you define as exercise?  Cardio?  Pilates?  Yoga?  Weight lifting?  Running a marathon?

3.  Make a plan (where):  Where will you exercise?  At home or a gym/studio?  If you exercise at home, you may consider purchasing weights, exercise equipment, DVDs (a personal favorite that I do frequently is 20 second fitness...for more info, go to http://20second.com/), work out gear and shoes.  You don't have to get fancy or spend thousands on equipment but you need to find a way to challenge yourself.   If you are joining a gym or studio (or finally going to the one you have been paying anyway!), ask the staff to show you how to use equipment correctly.

4.  Make a plan (when):  When will you exercise?  In the morning?  After work?  When the kids nap?  You have to build any change into your schedule in order to stick with it.  Schedule exercise time like an appointment; put it on your calendar.  Plan time for driving to and from the gym/studio, showering, etc.

5. Be realistic:  Is this something you are actually ready to change?  If you are a lifelong couch potato and you have resolved to run a marathon in one week, anyone could tell you this is preposterous!  So too is it to resolve to work out for several hours each day when your job or life demands are not compatible with this.  Don't set yourself up for failure by setting a goal that you cannot possibly achieve or that you aren't willing to put the effort toward.  Look at your calendar and your current fitness level to guide you.

6. Be honest:  If you are not a morning person, you know that you are unlikely to jump out of bed in the wee hours for a workout.  In the moment of truth, will the snooze button be your exercise?  If so, plan for lunchtime or evening work outs.  If you know that you will be dragging and burnt out by the end of the day and unlikely to have the energy, plan a morning work out.  If you know that you don't push yourself enough, work out to fast music, use a DVD to guide you, or enlist a friend, trainer, or drill sargent.

7.  Dress for the part:  If exercise is your goal, have your workout clothes with you (better yet, ON you!) when it is your scheduled time.  Just the act of changing can help motivate you to do the deed for the day.

8.  Get accountability:  Write your goal down (and the steps to achieve this) and keep this visible.  Post it in your house, office, car, and near your computer.  Tell people your goal and how you plan to stick with it...and tell them often.  Plan work out time with a buddy to help keep each other motivated.  Start a friendly competition with a like-minded friend, family member or coworker.  Or do a contract!  Go to http://www.stickk.com/ to set and keep your goals...to literally put your money where your mouth is!

9.  Anticipate the challenges:  What has held you back from achieving this goal in the past?  Time?  Money?  Lack of motivation?  What roadblocks might you face?  We all know that "real life" can get in the way of plans.  Your chances of success with be MUCH higher if you can anticipate the challenges you will face when trying to achieve your goal and make a plan to conquer them!

10.  Reward yourself...often!:  If "exercise more" was your goal, put a check mark/smiley face/sticker on your calendar each time you complete a work out.  This visual gold star can be a fun way to track your progress.  Plan for rewards at specific intervals and milestones, such as, "If I work out 3 times per week for a month, I will reward myself with a massage".

Even if your personal New Years Resolution has already been broken, its never too late to repair!  Don't wait for a day on the calendar, start anytime.  And if you slip up, start again!  Be mindful of what was going on (time wise, emotionally, etc) during the set back and use this insight to your advantage!  Knowing your obstacles makes them much easier to jump!  YOU CAN DO IT!!

Reader question:  What was your resolution and how are you revitalizing it?  Post in the comments section.