Weight Management Program
Problem Foods: Instructor’s Guide
This week we will discuss trigger foods and situations that may be preventing you from reaching your weight or health goals.
Background Information:
Your moods and emotions can be psychological triggers to eat. Often we turn to food in response to a situation that is not really food related. Some of us learn to associate certain foods with certain emotions or situations. For example, if you were rewarded with a piece of candy for doing well in a spelling bee, you may find yourself using sweets to celebrate a job well done.
For others the smell of food, sight or taste may trigger you to eat. If you view this food as a “bad food” or something you must deprive yourself of to lose weight, you may find yourself overindulging.
By the end of this session you will:
· Recognize and develop strategies for dealing with problem foods.
· Learn to budget for a splurge, since no food is absolutely “off limits”.
· Notice your feelings and discover ways to deal with them without using food.
· Learn how to distract yourself with an activity that is not compatible with eating.
· Discover hidden calories that may be slipping into your day.
Weight Management Program
Problem Foods: Making them part of the plan.
Phase One - Understanding the problem food(s).
Do you have a difficult time resisting a certain food? If so, it may be a problem food. For some people, certain foods trigger an overwhelming urge to eat them even when they are not hungry. These foods often make a person feel out of control leading to overindulgence. Whether we are trying to lose weight or simply be healthy, these foods can pose a real problem and sabotage our best efforts.
Ø These favorite foods are often:
o High in calories.
o High in sugar.
o High in fat.
o High in sodium.
o High in refined carbohydrates.
Ø They can contribute to many health problems such as:
o Elevated blood pressure.
o Elevated blood sugar and elevated HgA1C levels.
o Elevated cholesterol and elevated triglyceride levels.
o G.E.R.D
o Obesity.
o Nutrient deficiency and fatigue.
Some typical problem foods include: potato chips, taco chips, pizza, ice cream and chocolate. Below list any food you feel may be a problem food.
Now rate the food(s) by difficulty to resist. Use a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the most difficult.
Then look at your food journal from last week. If you didn’t do food journals try to remember what you ate last week.
Did you come across any of the foods you listed? ______. If so, put a check next to each food.
Did you find any new ones you forgot to list? If so, list now.
______
Did you eat them more than once last week? ______. If so put an additional check next to the food(s)?
Check why you ate the problem food(s) and list the food(s) eaten?
Hunger / Boredom / Stress / AngryFatigue / Feeling Down / Celebrating / Because they were there
Now you have identified the problem food(s), how often you eat them, and why you eat them. That is the first phase. The second phase is making a plan to deal with the food(s) and the situation.
Phase Two - Dealing with the problem food(s).
Start Gradually
Ø Give yourself some time to adjust. Set a limit on the quantity and frequency.
o Pace yourself. Allow yourself one serving of a problem food per day. If you have more than one problem food, allow it once a week.
o Buy a single serving package or the smallest size available.
o If it is too much of a temptation, try eating them when you are away from home. This way the portion size will be controlled. Examples: a single scoop of ice cream or a small order of fries.
Ø Be realistic. Saying you will never eat a food only makes it more desirable.
Ø Recognize high-risk situations as listed above.
Ø Make a plan for dealing with the food and emotions.
o Deal with the emotion first.
§ What are you feeling?
§ Why are you feeling that way?
§ Is there something you can do to feel better?
· Listen to music
· Take a walk
· Write in a journal
· Others:
· Deal with the problem foods.
§ Will eating help you feel better or will it make you feel worse?
§ Keep problem foods out of sight or better yet, don’t bring them into the house.
§ Find lower calorie alternatives to the foods you like. Some examples include: low fat ice cream or low fat frozen yogurt. Try baked chips or pretzels instead of high fat, salty alternatives.
§ Remember to pay attention to the portion size. Even fat free and sugar free items have calories. Did you realize 20 pieces of sugar free gum has 100 calories?
§ See hand out 30 snacks for 100 calories for more snack ideas.
Behaviors and Routines
Problem or high-risk foods are rarely eaten out of hunger. They are eaten for various reasons that you have already identified in the exercise on the previous page. Here are some additional ideas for changing behaviors.
Change Body Temperature
Ø Have a hot cup of decaffeinated coffee or tea. Try flavored versions such as:
o Hazelnut flavored decaffeinated coffee or tea
o Blackberry decaffeinated tea
Ø Try other hot liquids such as:
o Low fat chicken or beef broth
o Tomato soup made with fat free milk
o Sugar free hot chocolate
Change Routines
Ø When do you eat your problem food(s)?
o Is there a certain time of day?
o Are you more likely to have difficulty on a weekday or weekend?
o Dose it happen at a certain time of the month?
Ø Where do you eat your problem food(s)?
o Do you find yourself eating problem food(s) in a room other than the kitchen?
o Do you always sit in a special chair when snacking?
Ø How do you eat your problem food(s)?
o Do you eat problem foods standing up?
o Do you eat problem foods lying down or in bed?
o Do you measure out a portion or eat from the bag?
Adopt a New Routine
Ø Exercise during high risk times.
o Take a walk, stretch, or go for a bike ride.
Ø Drink only non-caloric beverages when you are tempted to eat when not hungry.
Ø Go to bed early and get up early.
Ø Start your day with breakfast to stop late night eating.
Adopt a New Habit
Ø It takes at least three to six weeks for a new behavior to become a habit.
o Set your goals.
o Develop a plan.
o How will you stay on your plan?
Ø Making changes can be exciting but stressful. Adopting a new habit takes time.
o Be patient.
o Be consistent.
o Stay positive.
Weight Management Program
Exercise: The Natural Mood Elevator
When feeling sad, anxious, tired, or stressed, try exercising to elevate your mood, relieve stress and boost energy levels. The “natural high” experienced during an intense workout may be due to biochemical changes. Endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, provide part of the answer. Researchers believe that exercise “highs” may result from a chain of events that makes the body even more sensitive to its own natural mood changes. So instead of walking to the fridge when feeling sad, walk out the door with your exercise shoes and get moving. A happier you is just a few steps away.
Television and Coach Potatoes
Are your television habits causing an elevation in your weight? The more television you watch, the more likely you are to be overweight, according to studies of both children and adults. Researchers theorize that people, who spend several hours a day watching television, set themselves up with weight problems for two reasons.
1. The more time sitting, means less time moving. For maximum weight loss and cardiovascular health, 30 minutes of daily exercise is recommended. Unfortunately, changing channels with the remote control requires very little energy and cannot be counted as exercise.
2. Commercials urge viewers to eat. Seeing someone enjoying a large juicy burger or a gooey chocolate brownie on the screen entices many viewers. Most overweight people admit to problematic evening snacking.
Some possible remedies
1. Limit viewing time or turn off the television and do something active instead.
2. Save viewing for special shows, rather than lying on the couch and changing channels only to settle for whatever may be showing.
3. If you must snack, choose a piece of fresh fruit or low fat yogurt.