I deserve a treat (a new way to think about "food rewards")
I just loved this email from one of our meal plan users and had to share it with you. Her observations are eye-opening!
You may remember my tale of a frappuccino, about how one of my clients, even after she hit a plateau, wouldn't give up her weekly treat at Starbucks. Finally she started losing weight again and it was because she'd found new ways to reward herself, like getting a manicure, that didn't involve "food." I think Claudia's observations sing to this.
Hi Lindsay! I've lost a lot of weight since following the meal plans and others at work are noticing. The other day, one of my coworkers remarked that although she had started the day in a foul mood, she treated herself to a pastry from McDonald's, and was feeling much better now.
Then she said to me, "Don't you ever feel the need to "treat" yourself?" I was dumb struck by the comment. Consuming something I know to be unhealthy is not a "treat"! Every time I eat now, I am TREATING myself. Beautiful fresh fruits and veggies. A variety of complex flavors. Healthy legumes, seasonings and herbs. Since eating this way my cravings are gone and I no longer have that empty feeling of hunger.
Junk foods don't play fair: They're loaded up with fat, salt, and sugar, which gives us intense pleasure -- especially sugar which triggers a dopamine release (dopamine is responsible for everything that feels good). And that pleasure? That's what makes us "crave" and want sugary foods when we're depressed, sad, moody... in need of a little anesthesia. (A great book to read about this is Breaking the Food Seduction by Dr. Neal Barnard.)
We all need a treat sometimes as a pick-me-up or to celebrate something, but I always encourage my clients to find "treats" that don't involve food. Don't settle for the artificial happy stimulant, do something that will really make you happy and will last longer than the 20-minute sugar high or 10 seconds the food is in your mouth ;)
Be like Claudia. Get the latest meal plan now.