I have nut problem! just ask Selina Barroso (my wife) Hina Patel-Aghada (My best friend) Kishan Aghada (Her husband) put a bowl of nuts in front of me and the bowl will not have a chance!
It takes all my willpower to pass up on the nuts if there!
“But Helder you have given advice on nutrition to thousands of people, how could you of all people be so weak about some stupid nuts?”
We all have our weaknesses and we are all human…even me. I find nuts irresistible.
This got me to thinking.
If there is one thing I have learned after all these years of doing nutritional research, writing lots of articles on the topic of nutrition, and working directly with people on their diets, it’s this:
It’s rarely one single thing a person does that is sabotaging their efforts to lose fat, but a bunch of little things that have an accumulated effect over time.
There are some really simple behaviors and strategies we can all add to our fat loss goals that will have a positive impact.
Using my own addiction to nuts as an example, I am going to give you two surprisingly simple yet effective tips to help you with your fat loss.
Tip #1 - Never ever go food shopping hungry.
This is one of the most effective strategies I know of to avoid unwanted junk and various snacks from finding their way into your shopping cart, which ends up in your home, which ends up on your belly!
Make sure to eat something before you go food shopping and you will be able to resist the junk that often finds its way into your cart.
Tip # 2: - Never keep snack foods in the house.
But Helder I have to buy snacks for the kids. This is just an excuse and a reason why you can’t avoid the snacks that sneak into your belly and sabotage your efforts.
Many of the foods we eat that we know we should not be eating are based on an impulse. Impulse control goes a long way here but no one will deny it’s far harder to resist that impulse if your favorite junk food is under your nose.
That’s just human nature.
An impulse is defined as “a sudden desire, urge, inclination.” That means it’s short lived and will go away given sufficient time, so it’s a matter of not having foods in your house that allow you to act on the impulse while it lasts.
As for the excuse of the kids, etc. Should the kids be eating that stuff anyway? No! Are you’re ok with feeding your kids foods you know to be unhealthy for you and them?
Bottom line here is, those foods should be occasional treats for both kids and adults, not staple foods that can be found in your kitchen.
Develop coping strategies to your known triggers.
I know for example going food shopping on an empty stomach means I will most probably end up buying foods i don't need.
I have also found if I go shopping pissed off over something I will buy more foods I don’t need as food is one of many ways we self medicate looking for some comfort.
Hence the term “comfort foods” which is commonly. chocolate, ice cream, and so on.
Bottom line:
1. Learn what your trigger buttons are that lead to a negative behavior
2. Learn to identify when it’s happening
3. Develop strategies for cope with it.
Hope all this helps
Coach HB