do you find yourself "eating around" tempting foods?

Picture this: you're craving the chocolate bar that's hiding in your cupboard, so in an attempt to satisfy the craving, you eat a handful of nuts.  That doesn't work, so you make a keto mug cake that you found on Pinterest and eat that.  Nope.  Still want that chocolate.  So you try some almond butter mixed with a little cacao powder.  Then some Greek yogurt.  Then some cheese.  Nope. Nope. Nope.  What could possibly calm that craving?  Ummm...maybe a little piece of chocolate?  Unfortunately now you've eaten a whole day's worth of food when that's all it would have taken.

That's called "eating around" food.  You've heard that if you want something sweet you should eat something with artificial sweeteners instead.  Or if you want something salty and crunchy you should reach for the celery sticks. And yes, often when we crave something it's indicative of something our body needs--whether it's salt (electrolytes), quick energy (carbs), magnesium (chocolate), or comfort in the form of dopamine-inducing sweets.

There are lots of articles that I'm sure you've seen telling you how to swap this for that to maintain a healthy diet, and those are very valuable.  I do love to chew on celery sticks or raw nuts when I want something crunchy.  I find that almond butter and Greek yogurt or chia pudding with cinnamon and vanilla can calm my sweet tooth, and hot Tension Tamer tea is quite comforting.

But what happens when you devoured all those things and the chocolate is still calling your name?

Now I know that for some of us, that one little bite is a slippery slope.  It leads to other little bites, and sometimes to a serious case of the "screw its!" "I already messed up, so screw it, I'll try again on Monday.  Bring on the pizza and Oreos!" (Double stuffed, of course.)

My hope for you is that you find a place of peace around food.  If complete abstinence from sugar is easier for you, then do that.  I thought that I was an abstainer, but recently I've found that having just a little bit of something and paying close attention to what's going on with me--both physically and mentally--is working so much better.  I don't feel like I'm alienated from my friends and family at special occasions, I don't feel deprived, and I've taken back control.  Food is not the enemy.  You can eat whatever you want, you just need to pay attention to the consequences and make informed decisions about what goes in your mouth.

You are an adult, so eat like one.  You are not the one-year-old smearing cake (with blue frosting, of course!) onto her face and hair.  Inside, however, we can still act like that toddler.  We rebel when we think we can't have something, and sometimes we even throw a fit.

You're a grown up now.  Take care of yourself.  And if you want some chocolate, have some.  Just please, for the love of Pete and everyone around you, be choosy about your chocolate and skip the cake with blue frosting. :)

If you'd like to talk to me about creating a wellness and nutrition plan that works for you, I've got you!  I'm a certified Nutrition Coach who will create a simple, customized meal plan for you and coach you through how to implement it into your busy life.  We also talk about all the pitfalls that make it hard, and help you make it the anchor that keeps you healthy, energized, and sane through the whirlwind of your everyday life.

I'd love to talk to you about the program, so book a free consultation with me by clicking the Calendly button. I look forward to talking to you!

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