{"id":7659,"date":"2011-10-27T21:38:34","date_gmt":"2011-10-28T05:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=7659"},"modified":"2013-10-09T08:06:31","modified_gmt":"2013-10-09T16:06:31","slug":"how-to-take-charge-of-your-unhealthy-eating-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/how-to-take-charge-of-your-unhealthy-eating-habits\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Take Charge of Your Unhealthy Eating Habits"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Do you struggle to eat healthy?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re like most people, you probably give in to the temptation of ice cream, chips, cookies and fast food more often than you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n

After you give in to those temptations, you feel guilty. So you eat healthy for a few days\u2014maybe a week, even. Then your self-control lets you down again and you finish a whole pint of Ben & Jerry\u2019s in one sitting.<\/p>\n

The cycle repeats itself. I\u2019m guessing that you can relate at least partially to this?<\/p>\n

For me, my weakness is dessert. I could eat dessert at every meal, every day. Chocolates, cakes, puddings, brownies\u2014you name the dessert and I\u2019ll eat it.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve since won my epic battle with desserts, so I\u2019d like to share with you what I\u2019ve learned.<\/p>\n

The Root Cause<\/strong><\/p>\n

The root cause of our lack of discipline when it comes to food is this: We associate food with our emotional state.<\/p>\n

Feeling happy? It\u2019s time for delicious food. Feeling sad? It\u2019s time for even<\/em> more delicious food.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s time to celebrate or time to grieve, we find a reason to eat. If you want to take complete control over your eating habits, you need to create some distance between your diet and your emotions.<\/p>\n

Once you do this, eating right will no longer pose such a daunting challenge to you.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve discovered the three key decisions you have to make if you want to establish this emotional separation:<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Decide to be normal, not average.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s average to eat a lot of junk food, to be overweight, and to be at risk for diabetes and heart disease.<\/p>\n

But is that normal? No!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s normal to eat right, to be lean, and not to have any chronic health problems.<\/p>\n

All of us want to be normal. We just need to raise our standards of what we consider normal. Don\u2019t let the people around you tell you what \u201cnormal\u201d is.<\/p>\n

\u201cAverage\u201d is relative. \u201cNormal\u201d isn\u2019t. Don\u2019t confuse what is average with what is normal. That\u2019s the first step to overcoming your unhealthy eating habits.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Decide that your diet is a mini-representation of your life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whenever you put food into your mouth, you\u2019re either getting stronger and healthier, or weaker and flabbier. There\u2019s very little middle ground.<\/p>\n

Eat broccoli and chicken breast, and you\u2019re becoming stronger. Eat pizza and Doritos, and you\u2019re becoming weaker.<\/p>\n

In a similar way, whenever you choose to spend your time in a certain way, you\u2019re either growing as an individual or you\u2019re regressing.<\/p>\n

When you attend an educational seminar, you\u2019re learning and growing. But when you spend an entire afternoon reading a trashy magazine, you\u2019re regressing.<\/p>\n

Once you start seeing the food you eat as a mini-representation of your life, your dietary habits take on new meaning and significance. Food isn\u2019t just food anymore. It\u2019s a tool you can use to grow as a person.<\/p>\n

When you eat healthy, you\u2019re choosing to become more disciplined and focused. You\u2019re choosing to become a person of greater character.<\/p>\n

Start thinking about food this way and I guarantee that you\u2019ll find it easier to eat right.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Decide that you want health more than you want pleasure.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you want to change your behavior, it boils down to desire. Which do you desire more: the long-term health benefits of eating right, or the temporary pleasure of eating junk food?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s more effective to focus on increasing<\/em> your desire for health, rather than on decreasing<\/em> your desire for pleasure.<\/p>\n

To make eating healthy more appealing, I invite you to answer the following questions:<\/p>\n