Choose the Healthier Unhealthy...

I’m not going to tell you what to eat.  That would be a waste of everybody’s time, because you’re going to eat what you want.  So here’s seven ways to eat what you want, but in a more sane way.

1.  Big change is less scary and way more manageable when it occurs slowly.  Institute one  small daily change per week, like drinking one cup of sugar free green tea a day.   A great book about the power of small changes is, One Small Step Can Change Your Life, written by Richard Maurer, PhD.

2.  Educate yourself.  Learn how to read nutrition labels then read them.  Check out http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/UCM078889.htm for more help.  For dining out, download applications for your iPod like Nutrition Menu which reports the Calorie, fat, fiber, and carbohydrate information for most major food chains including Starbucks.  When you know what’s on your plate, you’re more likely to choose wisely.

3.  Plan ahead.  Have a game plan for big stressors as well as minor irritators, and write it down.  Even tiny things can derail a day of good eating.  Create a strategy for dealing with situations in which there may be limited access to food.  You’ll be less likely to buy that Moon Pie at the gas station if you keep an apple in your bag.

4.  Let other people do the hard work.   Invest in a subscription to a healthy eating magazine like Eating Well or Cooking Light.   They contain a multitude of tasty recipes for commonly prepared meals with considerably less calories.  Also, the Eat This Not That books and website shortcut you to healthier options; they’ve done the comparison shopping for you.  

5.  Choose the healthier unhealthy option.  If you must have pizza, pick the vegetarian kind.  Just can’t resist the candy bar?  Throw half away and eat what’s left or pick the one made with dark chocolate.  Eventually you’ll find yourself pausing longer before you eat, which is sometimes long enough to talk yourself into that banana instead.

6.  Eat mindfully.  Sit silently and chew slowly.  Savor your food and savor the moment.  You’ll feel fuller and be happier.  (Or you’ll realize these chips are really greasy and gross.)  Thich Nhat Hanh, who is one of my favorite authors, lovingly details the joy of eating a tangerine in his wonderful book, Peace Is Every Step.  Another great resource is Eating Mindfully by Susan Albers, PsyD.

7.  Make this transition about more than just you.  Consider how your dietary choices affect those around you.  Set the example for your kids.  Lessen your footprint on the planet.  Edible Communities Publications are available for about 60 cities or communities.  They contain great information about local farmer’s markets and festivals as well as recipes for healthy eating and green living.  www.ediblecommunities.com.

A Fresh Perspective

What you believe determines what you experience.  We've all heard that before, but it rings true.  A fear based perspective begets the thing you fear.  Do you want to focus your precious time planning for a life you do not want?  If your perspective on a healthy lifestyle dredges up fear, guilt, dread, boredom, starvation, restriction, and misery, what are you likely to be seeing in your life?


What is a perspective?  It's the lens through which you see a particular situation.  What you see then determines how you think, how you feel, and how you behave.  For example, if you see that you have absolutely no options, you will fail to consider other options, you will likely feel defeated and uninspired, and you will find yourself sitting in exactly the same place.


How do you know if you are stuck in a failure perspective?  Well, you keep repeating the same old behaviors that end in dissatisfaction. When you think about your wellness journey, you hear yourself say defeatist things like, "I have no choice; I just have to deal with it." You may even be completely disowning your power to change by blaming others for your lot in life.


If this has been your experience, consider creating other perspectives from which to view health and wellness to shake up your thinking.  Be open to other realities than the unhelpful one you've been clinging to. Here are some suggestions to get you started.


*Imagine the lens through which someone you admire would view your situation.  Consider the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors this person might demonstrate.  Try them on for a day and brainstorm new ideas.


*Keep a touchstone or other reminder close at hand to remember that you always have another choice.


*Ask yourself whom you need to forgive so that you can let go of victimhood and empower yourself to make change.

Shifting to a new way of seeing your life takes effort.  Living in your old perspective is like wearing around stinky old sneakers, unpleasant but comfy.  If you simply can't make the leap into forgiveness or opening your mind to other possibilities than the ones you've explored, seek the help of a religious practitioner, therapist, or coach.