Sign up for the paNOW newsletter

Your effective strategy for avoiding food temptations

Jan 14, 2019 | 1:48 PM

When The Temptations sang “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” in 1964, they earned their first top-20 hit. That was sweet, seductive music for sure. But the temptations you face from added fats and sweets in
your everyday life affect the way you do the things you do, but not in such a positive way.

Anyone who’s struggled to shed pounds or overcome diet-related health issues knows that temptations are everywhere:
— In the grocery store checkout line you’re surrounded by processed, added sugar health bombs. (In England they tested eliminating such foods from the checkout aisles and found a 76 percent reduction in “grab and eat” purchases of snacky foods!)
— TV and the internet bombard you with ads for snacks, sweets and treats. In 2012 fast-food restaurants spent $4.6 billion on all advertising, and Happy Meal display ads increased 63 percent to 31 million ads monthly.
— Social media is relentless, too. In 2012, 6 billion fast-food ads appeared on Facebook alone!

To embrace healthy eating habits, you need a plan to deal with the temptations you face every day. But first, let’s clear away the biggest myth that may be keeping you from making progress …

Willpower alone won’t cut it. No matter how determined, chances are you can’t endlessly tough it out. It’s only natural to crave sugar when you’re tired and to feel captivated by the enticing look or smell of some calorie- and sugar-packed treat. You need a strategy, not an iron will, to resist temptations.

Now, let’s build your strategy for success, which will help you dodge the temptations you encounter:

No. 1 Take charge of your surroundings.
If there’s always junk food at work, make sure you have healthful snacks on hand. You can enjoy them while your co-workers stuff their faces and ding their health. Pack baggies with trail mix, nuts, veggie slices, even 1-ounce chunks of 70 percent dark chocolate. Stash them in your bag, drawers, pockets. Make them handy!

No. 2 Do a pantry/shelf sweep. If you have treacherous temptations on your kitchen shelves, banish them. And if your spouse or partner insists on keeping them in the house, sequester them somewhere you can avoid seeing them (the temptations, not your spouse!). Out of sight, out of mind.

No. 3 Avoid “hunger panic.” If you’ve got a busy day with no time for meals, are on the road a lot or headed into new territory, prepare and pack up lunch, snacks, beverages and even dinner, if needed. Then you won’t have to opt for a brain-killing drive-thru or grab a sugar
bomb just to keep going. And you can stick to your plan!

No. 4 Talk to your friends and family about your goal. Enlist an AT (Avoid Temptations) Buddy — a friend, coworker or family member who also wants to eliminate food temptations. You can work together by exchanging daily reports on how you’re doing, sharing
healthful snacks at work or home, even preparing healthful foods together as cochefs.

No. 5 Build in rewards. Everyone deserves a healthful treat! Slow-roast strawberries and almonds and stir into nonfat Greek yogurt. Drizzle melted 70 percent cacao dark chocolate over orange slices. Puree mangoes, pineapple and/or papayas, and freeze the juicy goodness for an icy dessert.

No. 6 Forgive if you forget. This is one of the most important principals of Dr. Mike’s eating plan: Don’t beat yourself up for backsliding. So, you gobbled some fries. Try next time to avoid them — choose an apple instead. And if you do give in to your temptations, make an
effort to limit your intake. As Dr. Oz says, “It’s not the first two bites that will do you in; it’s the 14th and 15th!”
* * *
We hope you’re tempted to give this “When Way” plan a try! You can get detailed help with temptations in Dr. Mike’s new book, “What to Eat When: A Strategic Plan to Improve Your Life andHealth Through Food.”
* * *
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.
©2019 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz,
M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc

This column is sponsored by your local choice for healthy lifestyle products -Nutter’s Bulk and Natural Foods 365 36th St. W, Prince Albert, SK
Phone: (306) 922-3835