Junk food should actually be called junk food-like substances. Cutting out processed foods is reducing junk food.
Are you thinking of getting healthy?
You may be thinking that you need to eliminate your snacking of sweet or salty foods or stop drinking the can or two of soda pop. You may be thinking of reducing the amount of sugar or fat. You may be thinking about eating less. There are many things that people change in their eating as they move toward healthy living.
What do all of these have in common?
Taking something out of your diet.
While this is important, when you start with deprivation or restriction you may not be setting yourself up for success in the long run.
When you start by reducing, you may be able to do that for a short time…a day, a few days maybe even a week or two. But then you have an office party or go out to meet friends. You may even feel that you have been so good you deserve it, so you eat that thing you have been avoiding. Then once you start, it seems to just sneak back into your daily eating.
Deprivation by its nature is hard. Deprivation is the lack or denial of something considered to be a necessity. Wow, who wants to do that? I sure don’t want to deny myself something of necessity.
What is the key to successfully cutting out junk or processed foods?
Start with adding in vegetables not taking out a food.
Your first reaction might be, what…eat more food?
Yes and no.
By adding in vegetables, you begin to crowd out the junk.
Start with the mindset that you eat vegetables. You are a vegetable eater. Then make sure you add in vegetables into your eating.
Having breakfast? Eat leftover sweet potatoes from the night before or add some leafy greens into your scrambled eggs.
Eating lunch? Add a small salad to what you normally eat or add some finger vegetables such as carrots, celery, peppers, cucumbers or radishes.
Eating dinner? Add in one serving of a roasted or steamed vegetable.
Hungry for a snack? Add a half of avocado or broccoli and cauliflower.
Then eat what you would normally eat.
At first, you may find you eat the same foods you normally did, but over time, your habit of eating vegetables will lead you to eat less of the processed foods. You will become used to purchasing vegetables and preparing them to be ready to eat. You will stop purchasing as many junk food-like items.
Now think about it, when you think of adding in a food doesn’t that sound abundant? Doesn’t it sound as if you are treating yourself by having more?
Which sounds better…I eat vegetables because I am healthy or I don’t eat junk food? Whatever you say or think, your mind follows and you become. Notice that your mind doesn’t really hear the word “don’t” and just hears junk food. Probably making you think about it more and want to eat it more.
The mindset of crowding out is more positive and easier to carry forward long-term. Then when an outing with a friend or a celebration comes along, you will be in the habit to look for the vegetables first or adding a vegetable as the side dish instead of fries. Once you do that, give yourself permission to eat other things if you are hungry.
You are a vegetable eater.
Will adding in vegetables help you eat less, and eventually cut out processed foods? Comment below with what you think?
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