Tips to Overcoming Food Addiction

One of the questions I get asked a lot is how to overcome cravings or addiction to food.  Let me start out by defining an addiction; addiction is a physical and psychological dependence on a substance or activity despite the negative consequences associated with it.  For some people that addiction is food. Let me point out that this is NOT the same as an eating disorder.  An eating disorder is when a person is preoccupied with food and weight and little else.  If that is you, please seek professional help as a disorder can be life threatening.  http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

Do you ever feel that your body 'craves' a certain food or that you could not 'resist' eating something?  Ultimately food addiction is sugar.  Why?  Whether you eat excessive sweets, processed foods, carbs, or fatty foods, it all gets converted to glucose in the body.  Glucose is sugar.  The 'pleasure centers' of your brain get used to sugar excesses and, will ultimately, require more of it to get that same 'pleasure' you got the first few times.  This leads to excess/addiction.

How does one overcome food addiction?
First, you have to admit that you have one.
Second, slowly take out the food or foods that you are addicted to (usually sweets, salty, processed, artificial sweeteners, etc.)
Third, begin by replacing them with whole, raw, unprocessed foods (think veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds).  This includes what you are drinking or adding to your beverages.
Fourth, sit down and eat.  Don't eat on the run as this tends to cause us to overeat or choose unhealthy foods.  Eat at home and eat at the table.
Fifth, know the foods that 'trigger' you or are a temptation for you.  Avoid them by not keeping them in your house.  Keep prepared, healthy foods in the fridge.  That way, when you do have to run, you can just grab them & go.
Sixth, don't use food as a 'crutch'.  Most people, when under stress, tend to turn to food for comfort.  If this is you, try talking to someone you can trust or find an accountability partner (one who doesn't have the same addiction as you) rather than gorging and then feeling bad afterwards.
Seventh, exercise!  That's right.  When you pick up the weights or start an exercise program, your body produces serotonin, just like foods do.  And, it will help you lose weight too.

Tips to tone up and lose weight

Recently, I asked my Facebook friends to ask any questions they may have about fitness and nutrition.  The first question I got was from a long time friend about how to tone up and lose weight.  I am going to discuss what one needs to do to shed the unwanted pounds and how to put on muscle.

First, the most important aspect of losing weight is nutrition.  Why, you may ask?  Because you cannot possibly out exercise bad eating habits.  If you eat junk, you will carry 'junk'.  If you eat healthy, it will show.  Start by gradually removing processed foods, gravies, sugars, sauces, anything artificial, and alcohol.  Those type of foods have no nutritional value and are usually stored as fat.  Replace them with whole, raw vegetables, fruits, lean meats and fish, nuts, seeds, healthy fats (they are necessary for shedding excess weight), and plenty of water.  Tea and coffee are great, just watch what you are adding to them (cream, sugar, honey, artificial sweeteners).

Second, incorporate an exercise routine that requires you to be challenged.  That means you have to be sweating and your heart rate NEEDS to be raised to a level where your body starts burning fat.  If you are able to hold a conversation while exercising, you're not training or working!   An exercise routine includes both cardio and weight training.  There are many forms of cardio (I discussed this in a previous post) and ways to strength train.  For cardio, make sure you are getting at least 20-40 minutes of moderate to high intensity training 2-4 days per week (depending on your goals).  For weight training,  dumbbells/machines are great for building muscle which, in turn,  helps burn fat at rest.  If you don't have access to either one, try plyometrics, bodyweight, and/or resistance tube exercises.  Weight train at LEAST 3 days per week.

Third, in order to see results, you MUST be consistent.  That means you cannot workout 1 or days per week and eat whatever you want daily and expect miraculous results.  Will not happen!  Be consistent in eating the proper foods, exercising, and stretching.  This takes time, patience, and persistence.  Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day,therefore, you shouldn't expect your body to change overnight.

Persistance and determination