5 Tips for All Or Nothing Eaters

A common theme for weight loss folks is the ‘all or nothing eaters’ approach.  Either you tell yourself you’re not going to eat a certain food at all, or you fail at this and eat a lot of that forbidden food.Wouldn’t it be nice to fall somewhere in the middle? Where you could have some of this enjoyable food, but not overdo it? It is possible to make a plan with yourself so you don’t feel deprived (which often leads to bingeing or overdoing it) but you do practice self-regulation. After all, that’s what food management is all about anyway. Being able to eat and conduct your life without severe restrictions, but also not overdoing the enjoyment to the point where you have harmed yourself and you feel guilty and condemn yourself.

Here are some tips on how to do that. It’s best to pick the one that resonates with you the most, then add more tips later.

Tip 1: Plan ahead when you will have your treat food(s).

Plan the day you plan to give yourself a treat. Maybe it is a weekend day, where you know you’ll be going out to dinner, at a party, visiting with family, etc. That will be the day you have dessert, or maybe a richer dish. If you can manage to do this once a week, you will feel more in control of your eating. You were able to have something satisfying, and then stop. You might even find that you want a smaller portion, simply because you gave yourself permission to have this food.

Tip 2: Tap before you eat.

Two minutes of tapping is a wonderful way to reduce food cravings. As soon as you feel a craving coming on, start tapping. This works really well for many of my clients, and it is easy to do. If you are in a public place, you can tap on your fingers under the table or behind your back, or go to the bathroom and tap.

Tip 3: Chew each bite of food 32 times.

This technique allows to really enjoy what you are eating, and is very good for digestion and overall health. Chewing each bit 32 times allows for one bite per tooth. You will experience the flavors, textures, colors, smell of the food in greater depth. That way a little bit of the special food  will go a longer way.

Tip 4: Do 2 minutes of breathing before eating.

Slow, smooth, deep breathing is one of the fastest ways to balance your nervous system and calm yourself down. Just watch your breath, with the intent of allowing it to get slower and smoother. Avoid forcing or straining to breathe a certain way. The experience should feel pleasant and comfortable. Plus, it will change your mindset so food is then eaten in a more measured, focused way.

Tip 5: Cut back on certain foods the day you will be splurging.

You can bargain with yourself. The day you will be eating something richer and more caloric, cut back on the food you eat the rest of the day. For example, if you usually have a sandwich at lunchtime, try a salad that day instead. Or try cutting back on your intake of wheat, dairy, and sugar.

Which tip appeals to you the most?

Start with that one. Practice it for a week. You can then continue with the same tip for one or more additional weeks until it becomes habitual, or move on to another tip for the next week. If you choose the second option, then compare which tip worked better for you, and proceed from there.