My Secret (now not so secret) Go To Food
As a child, one of my favorite cereals was Cap’N Crunch. I really didn’t get a chance to eat that much of it because my mom knew it was too sweet and more expensive than Corn Flakes. Besides, whenever my mom did buy it my older brother would swoop in and eat the entire box. As I get older my bad eating habits have grown up and my pallet has changed. I do not enjoy the super sweet things I did as a child. I remember I could almost finish a small bag of those delicious Oreo Cookies. Towards the end of the bag, I would become stuffed and a bit nauseous. Man, how I wanted to finish those last few cookies. As an adult I tend to like fatty and salty foods more than sweet. However, this does not mean that I do not like sweet foods at all. Give me some ice cream and I’m going to town. I could eat an entire pint and then some. Although I’ll pay for it later as well as anyone else in the house.
These indulgences are difficult to overcome. It’s the small daily awful eating that’s helped me put on the additional not so good pounds. Now I’m not obese or considered fat but I can see my belly expand beyond what I’m not proud of seeing. I would post a picture but that’s embarrassing. I’m secure but not that secure.
I’m sure we all do it. We go to YouTube and check out the latest ways to burn fat or lose weight. I admit that I’m a YouTube junkie and regularly search for ways to lose belly fat. So how can you really lose weight? We all know the answer. Eat fewer calories than we burn. It’s really no secret. So why do some many of us pack on the pounds on a daily? I know there are a few exceptions. Those who have medical issues are exempt but the rest of us, hmm.
I find myself eating more in the evening and after dinner. Sometimes I find myself snacking even when I’m full. Last night was one of those times. I am a potato chip lover! Not the greasy kind but the ones that are good for you. You know what I mean. Those “baked” and not fried chips. So, I fooled myself and ate the entire bag. All the salt and starch. Yep, the entire bag. So why did I do that? Why do we all eat stuff we know is not good for us? Now let me again state there are actual eating disorders which I will not downplay. These are psychological or physical conditions that may involve professional help. Mayo Clinic describes my potato chip eating as a Binge-eating disorder. “When you have binge-eating disorder, you regularly eat too much food (binge) and feel a lack of control over your eating. You may eat quickly or eat more food than intended, even when you’re not hungry, and you may continue eating even long after you’re uncomfortably full.” Is this actually what I have? I don’t eat like this on a regular basis, but it does make me wonder. This is how things sneak up on you. They start out as innocent enough but over a period of time can develop into an actual disorder, a lack of control. We all know how sugar has an influence on your brain, but potato chips? Those oh so nicely flavorful crunchy lip-smacking potato slices, mmm. Sorry, too much.
My lack of control has led me to rethink my bad habit so I am changing. My replacement will be an old standby, celery and guacamole. This is filling and very good for me. Although it’s a bit more involved in preparing, I’ll benefit in the long run. There are several alternatives and I’ll try more than just one. I believe it’s the convenience more than anything else. Bad (not very nutritious) snacks are so convenient that this makes it more difficult for people to abstain. True this may be an excuse, but it does hold some validity. We have seen a huge change in the past ten years or more with new convenient healthy prepackaged snack foods. These are sold in almost every grocery and convenience store.
What about you? Are you guilty of indulging on bad foods or drink that you wish you weren’t? I will let you know how I fare. Wish me luck or better yet, discipline.
I’ll have to investigate more closely in a future story to see if Americans are actually eating less and healthier or just eating more of those healthy foods and packing on the weight.
