During a successful long-term weight control journey there are MANY food and drink items that we enjoy that we cannot continue to consume. Some of these items include:
- Chocolate candies
- Ice cream
- Wine
- Mixed drinks
- Breads/Bagels
- Pasta
The list of bullet points can go on and on and on.
I do NOT tell my patients to NEVER eat these foods/drink these drinks again. What I do recommend are 2 things:
- Keep the portions and frequency of these food/drink sources to a minimum and
- ENSURE THAT THESE DERAILING FOODS/DRINKS ARE HIGH QUALITY.
Here is what I am referring to: Often, we all find ourselves reaching for derailing snacks that are not really of very high quality such as M&Ms, cheap candy bars, a discount ice cream. Etc. If you are going to engage in these types of snacks, make it a real and true “treat”: Godiva (or similar high-end quality chocolate), a premium ice cream, a fresh/warm high quality baguette or bagel, etc.
Do NOT waste those calories on something cheap and easily obtainable. When you are ready to break free of the dietary constraints that are crucial for controlling weight, opt for a HIGH QUALITY, relatively expensive “treat”. This will make the experience more rewarding, satisfying and hopefully limit the number of times these behaviors occur.
Simply, go for the best…and Tina Turner was one of the Best…enjoy her performance of “Simply The Best”.
