Part 5: I Can’t Give It Up!

 

If you are one of the many that feel that they can’t give up the foods that they love no matter what, there are several key things for you to address.  Don’t worry, they aren’t all bad!

First, find out why it is that you can’t give them up.  For example, are you connected with that big slice of apple pie because it was your favorite growing up, you may have an emotional attachment to the foods.  If you love your mashed potatoes loaded with gravy, sour cream and butter just because you love the taste, that’s a different story.

Identifying why you have to have a specific food is important so that you can actually see the benefits of eating those foods.  If you need apple pie to feel safe, you need to address this emotional problem.  If you just love the taste, you can find ways to get much of the same taste without a lot of the calories.

Next, determine if there is a better way for you to get the foods that you like.  For example, will sweetened sweet potatoes that are mashed still give you the same texture and creaminess that you are craving?

By making small changes to the recipe you can get all of the flavor and texture that you want without causing yourself to become a victim of high fats and sugars that really do a number on your entire system.

Indeed you may want that slice of apple pie.  But, use it in a different way.  For example, instead of eating it every few days make it the reward that you get for a week of good eating.  Limiting how often you get the treats means that you don’t have to give them up but that you don’t consume nearly as much of it, and therefore you can improve your health overall.

One limit to this is when the food itself is detrimental to your health condition.  If you are a diabetic, you simply should not eat foods that are overall sweet because they can cause your blood sugar level to rise so fast that you can cause serious damage to your brain and your heart through the consumption of just some foods.

You should know what types of foods you can not eat.  If you don’t know you should talk to your doctor about this.  There are certain times in life that foods become prime suspects to leading to health risks.  Food isn’t worth the risk of your life, is it?