For some, this isn’t an issue at all. Sweets simply don’t appeal to them!
Maybe “junk food” does, though? Ya know, more of the Savory/Salty type.
There’s nothing wrong with that! To each their own.
Still, the same applies -
We all have our fix. Our comfort food. The food we have a hard time putting down and avoiding.
If these types exist, then we need to understand how to navigate them.
After all, we are based on Education that creates Empowerment!
Why are these foods so addictive?
If you’ve read a few of our blogs, you know we discuss “the why” quite a bit!
We feel that understanding this is critical to growth and ultimately, Complete Nutritional Freedom.
The reasons behind the seemingly addictive nature of these foods boil down to one simple element:
Food Makeup
Sweets and/or Savory/Salty foods are usually highly processed and contain high amounts of carbohydrates and fats.
We know that there are two main types of carbohydrates: simple and complex.
Complex Carbs like sweet potatoes, rice, and fruits are absorbed by our body slowly, leading to more lasting fullness and sustained energy.
Simple Carbs, usually highly processed, sugary foods like candy, cereals, and juices are absorbed very quickly, leading us to believe we need more.
Within the fats, there’s a common phrase my Dad used to say, “How do you spell flavor? F-A-T.”
Fats taste good. How do you we get kids, or adults, to eat more veggies? We add butter, or cheese, of course.
Aside from the simplicity of the macronutrient breakdown of these foods, there’s a deeper issue at hand.
These highly processed foods stimulate our brain with positive reinforcement. There have been studies showing that these foods stimulate rats with an even higher reward rate than drugs like cocaine.
Yeah, you read that right..
Junk Food is a basically a drug.
Wow, that was a little harsh.. junk food isn’t a drug. Unless we abuse it. Then, it’s just as bad, or WORSE than a drug.
Let’s figure out how to avoid that!
Navigating Junk Food
You’re in luck! We have an answer.
As a Nutrition Coach who admittedly loves cookies, brownies, and cakes - I have had to navigate this topic myself.
I didn’t want to give it up, so how could I make it work?
Here are THREE tips on Navigating Junk Food:
Find Simple Swaps
Understand your Intake
Limit your Intake (or avoid, for a season)
Let’s explain these a but more!
Find Simple Swaps
This, along with #3, are probably my two favorite methods!
Instead of saying:
“I can’t have ice cream anymore.”
I’ll say:
“How can I make this ice cream more macro-friendly?”
From a commercialized perspective, there are options like Halo Top!
This option is LESS THAN HALF the total calories of the Blue Bell. And its all because of the reduced fat!
Remember, FATS have 9 calories per gram. So, they add up very quickly.
If you’re wanting to tackle it on your own, you could invest in something like a Ninja Creami.
My wife and I got one for Christmas and it is a GAME-CHANGER.
A simple recipe:
(1) scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
(1) cup of Fairlife Protein Milk
Were you waiting on more ingredients? That’s it.
It tastes “creami”, just like a vanilla milkshake and its almost pure protein.
Aside from Ice Cream, there are tons of tips/tricks/hacks available online to make your desserts more macro-friendly!
Understand your Intake
This is a page right out of our eBook. Literally.
We really believe in tracking our intake because it makes us AWARE.
When we're AWARE, we “feel” the cost of our food at a deeper level.
We like to compare it to:
Spending Cash (AWARE) vs. Swiping a Credit Card (UNAWARE)
When we track our desserts/junk food, we are able to see and understand what it “costs” us to eat that food.
If we are OK with that, then we’re OK with that.
The example above shows us that eating the cake is possible, but it takes a pretty large chunk out of our daily macro allowance, making the rest of the day pretty difficult to achieve.
Not impossible, but more difficult.
Aside from understanding how many more macros you have “left in the bank,” this method allows us to gain deeper insight into how certain foods (and macros) make us feel, perform, and recover.
This is also a very, very powerful step in the right direction!
Limit your Intake (or avoid, for a season)
As I mentioned, this, along with #1, are methods I find valuable. Method #2 (Understand your Intake) is kind of a given for me at this point!
If I don’t want to limit, I use Simple Swaps.
If I don’t want to use Simple Swaps, I limit.
One of THE MOST helpful tips to limit your intake is simple this..
.. don’t keep it around!
If I don’t have junk food in my house, I can’t overeat it.
Treat it as a treat.
A special dinner? Eat dessert.
Time out with friends? Eat dessert.
A wedding or party? Eat dessert.
This is a LOT different than constantly indulging, always having it at your disposal.
In parenthesis above, you see we’ve added (or avoid, for a season).
I am usually hesitant on all-or-nothing methods because they don’t work because they’re not sustainable under our own will-power.
But, if you have a legitimate problem, or have very serious goals you’re trying to achieve in an aggressive time-frame, this is a good option.
BUT FIRST, find an accountability partner. This is extremely critical to your success.
Food is GOOD
Food is good for us.
Food brings people together.
But, food can tear us apart (from the inside out), if we don’t know how to control it.
Again, one of the main goals at E3 Nutrition is to help you achieve -
COMPLETE NUTRITIONAL FREEDOM
This means that YOU control food (empowerment) through the decisions YOU make (based on education) leading to healthier, more productive life where YOU thrive (elevate).
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If you’d like more help understanding how to navigate different food struggles in your life, understanding food at a deeper level, and/or receiving general counsel, we’d love to help!
Fill out this Initial Assessment Questionnaire, and a member of our team will be in touch quickly.
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Have a GREAT weekend and God Bless!
Best,
Eli Grambling, PN-L1, CF-L1
Founder, Head Coach | E3 Nutrition