I was at a pot-luck luncheon where the cooks had outdone themselves. There was an array of delicious dishes, many made with whole grains, salads with a rainbow of colors, and a pink steamed salmon just to make sure we all got our dose of omega-3 fatty acids for the day. Then there was the dessert table. In addition to the usual brownies and chocolate chip cookies, bakers had made banana chocolate chip loaf, raspberry bars, chocolate mocha cookies, and tempting fruit salads. I selected a chocolate mocha cookie, poured a cup of coffee, and joined a group of friends. Fantastic, I said. “Yes”, said my companions, echoing each other, “but I can’t go near the dessert table. I’m addicted to sugar”.
My first thought was how sad that they feel they need to deprive themselves of good food. But I understood. I am often visited by clients who struggle with their weight and who feel that the key is to conquer their sugar addiction.
Scientists debate whether an uncontrollable desire for sweets meets the standards for a true addiction, but for the struggling eater it’s a moot point. Once they eat one cookie, they feel out of control. It’s a physical thing. They feel their body tense up and cry out for more. Like a wave that becomes more and more powerful, it threatens to overwhelm.
The mind-body connection is real. Hormonal signals flash through our body when triggered by taste as well as the sight, smell, and even thought of food. So were my companions wise to move themselves out of eyesight of that dessert table? Or is it possible for them to have their cake and eat it, too?
My practice is based on a belief in the latter. We all have an innate attraction to sweets, but some learn to give sweets control over rational thought. It is important to recognize this as a learned behavior, and to understand that this automatic response can be reprogrammed. They key lies in changing one’s relationship with food, from adversarial to welcoming. Not simple, of course, but it can be done. When we tell ourselves that we are addicted to sweets, we give these foods power over us. When we say “uncle” by forbidding ourselves the pleasure of eating, we acknowledge that this pull to eat is stronger than we are.
As with any contest, the outcome can change with proper training. To start, try the following:
- Tell yourself that you can eat anything you want.
- When faced with a tempting food, ask yourself how badly you really want it. If the answer is greater than 5 on a 10 point scale, go for it.
- Eat mindfully and slowly. Instead of inhaling the food while thinking “I shouldn’t be doing this,” taste every morsel. Allow it to sit in your mouth for as long as possible before taking the next bite. Appreciate the texture and smell as well as the taste.
- Stop eating when you feel pleasantly satisfied.
Besides, some men suffer from a hormonal imbalance but other factors can also impact the sexual health of women. levitra online sales viagra order shop The packages are delivered to the privacy of your home in cheap. Process of penis enlargement and its utilities The methods that are being applied free samples of cialis pop over to these guys for increasing the libido, fall into different categories. Who doesn’t want to last longer between the sheets! Most cheap viagra men wish to go all night and stir up the things in bedroom.
With practice, the wave of cravings will diminish, and soon be no larger than the trickle left on the sand once the wave breaks. The reward is liberating. You are in control.