Healthy Living Rule #34: If you don’t want to eat it, Don’t buy it.
This is a simple rule, but one I sometimes break. Like I did today for example. I just ran into the store for one thing. Yes, I actually ran. Now I that I have clearance from the PT I run everywhere = around the supermarket aisles, in church, to my car in the parking lot. Kidding.
Of course I came out with more than one item 🙁 and one of them was this yogurt. I know better than to purchase HFCS laden items, but Strawberry Shortcake just sounded so good! I ate it for dessert right now and it just tasted fake. 
Boo to me. There are many times when I’m in the supermarket and something catches my eye. Then, I stand there with the food in my hand contemplating whether or not I should get it.
The devil on my shoulder screams, “Yes! Get it! It will taste good and you deserve a treat.”
But the IE angel says, “I don’t think that’s a healthy choice and you’ll probably overeat it and hate yourself later.” (Who invited that guy to shop with me anyways?)
Today the angel lost the yogurt battle, but did win a Garlic Toast bread battle 🙂
Hey, you win some you lose some, right?
There is a fine line between restricting certain foods from myself versus allowing myself to enjoy them, but not keeping them in the house where I am tempted to over do it. Most of the time these battles occur with things like granola or ice cream not lame-o yogurt 🙂
Q: How do you guys handle this? Do you buy foods that you are tempted to overeat?? Are there any foods you don’t keep in the house at all because of this???
Me: I don’t deny myself any food, but I know I have a history of overeating and/or mindlessly eating certain foods more than others. These are items I try not to keep in the house unless I’m in a really good place 🙂
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I “forgot” to take pics of my afternoon eats, but if you’ve seen two granola bars you’ve seen them all (catch that?).
I also had an iced coffee before Physical Therapy. 
Dinner was leftover tomato soup with chickpeas and corn. Plus cheese bread and broccoli on the side.
Cheese bread is becoming a more and more frequent occurrence around here these days. Ben loves this stuff and so do I. This time I made it on TJ’s Whole Wheat Naan bread. This stuff is amazing under the broiler – it really brings out the flavor and texture! 
Oh, I just found this pic on my camera too! Oops! I guess I ate some dark chocolate today that I almost forgot about! 
After PT and running today I better ice my knee and relax with some trash TV (which I also heard is good for your knee).
I don’t really do artificial sweeteners (except in diet soda and that’s only so I won’t drink the full-calorie version) because I seem to have an extreme sensitivity to their taste. Now, I never even eat flavored yogurt because I’ve gotten used to plain and the other is too sweet.
I definitely avoid certain things i KNOW i will keep eating even if I want to control myself. This is brownies. They are torturous to me. but i eat them when I am desperately craving them. but then i eat one or two then take it to work, otherwise I eat the whole pan. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. brownies all around. haha.
I buy stuff all the time that I wouldn’t have bought before. Presently, in my house I have chips, ice cream, chocolate, an cereal. These were 4 foods that I typically restricted in the past. I don’t really know how to explain WHY I don’t binge on these foods now, I just don’t. If I want some, I have some.
There are times when I overeat…but it doesn’t affect me to the core the way that it used to. I guess I’ve come to realize that if I overeat today, I will probably not feel as hungry tomorrow, and it all balances out.
These days, there are foods that I just choose not to eat. Generally, if it’s not organic, I’m probably not eating it (unless I’m eating out or something). If it’s not organic, but it doesn’t have any funky ingredients, I’ll consider eating it if I want it. I’ve just been trying to keep things as close to real food as possible because it makes my body feel better. Even my snacks these days aren’t the typical snacks. Cashew ice cream sweetened with agave is a far cry from the sugar-chemical-junk food version…so even when I eat a “treat”, my body doesn’t go into a full on revolt over it.
My husband and I both have a “banned” list of foods that we just absolutely lose control with and can’t go anywhere near! Topping mine is reduced fat cheezits and cool whip (I know, really classy stuff). I flipped out on NYE because our DD had a box of cheez – its in his car – somehow i managed to avoid them! I am trying to give up those yogurts but my hubby just bought me boston creme pie and i am super excited to try it today!
its the single most reason why i dont buy chips or ice cream in any container that is not a portion (or at the most 2 portions)…because i will eat it all.
if i DO buy the large bag of chips its because i am giving myself a free pass and know very well that in 2 days they will all be gone 🙂
This is such a good topic. I definitely try and make sure I don’t buy food that I can’t have around, and it’s really hard, but I always tell myself that if I can just win the inner argument while I’m IN the grocery store, then I don’t have to fight it every single time I open the cupboard at home. I’d rather feel a bit depressed in the store than every morning/night etc. Even if I can trust myself with a food to a certain extent, I won’t buy it if I know I’m going out (I’m in college) because I’m no match for the drunk munchies, and I don’t want to drunkenly binge. If I really want something then I’ll have it when my boyfriend and I are together so that it minimizes calorie consumption (aka I can only eat half the tortilla bag, max), and also so that I don’t revert to any binge-y habits.
I gave up light yogurt about a year ago and never looked back. Its all greek for me : )
I did the same thing the other day. I got the red velvet cake flavor, and I NEVER buy the yoplait yogurts (since they have HFCS and aspartame). It was beyond sweet, oddly colored, and just way too fake!
I got that kind recently too! What is up with that color?!
I love chips and dip. I want to accessorize with chips and dip. So, like shopping for jewels, i only allow myself to splurge on occasion, and when i do, I have them for dinner and fourth meal, then call it good for a month. No one ever got fat from one bag of chips and dip a month, right ?!;)
I can’t keep any form of chocolate in the house. Seriously, this past weekend I ate a whole package of those ghiradelli squares filled with caramel. There are like 12 squares in a pack, and I finished it off in a little more than a day. Siiiiick I know, but so good! Sometimes it happens. I just try not to beat myself up over it.
Actually, since I give myself full permission to eat dark chocolate now – I don’t binge on it anymore. I do sometimes have 5 pieces, where one would do, but I don’t eat whole packages. The more I kept it around the less power it held.
TJ whole wheat Naan is AMAZING 🙂
I always end up buying things like Brie cheese which I regret later because it’s so calorie & fat dense that I can easily eat half of it in one sitting
Granola bars are my weakness. I won’t even buy them anymore because I can easily eat a box in a day. Gah.
I can happily say that I was totally tempted by the “Samoa” icecream that was on sale, however I put it back in the freezer and then picked a flavor for my kids that wouldn’t tempt me. I must say I will often slip and then promise to do better next time!
“But the IE angel says, “I don’t think that’s a healthy choice and you’ll probably overeat it and hate yourself later.” (Who invited that guy to shop with me anyways?)”
This guy goes shopping with me from time to time… Those hard-candy shelled Easter eggs, Newman’s Ginger Cremes, you get the picture!
You’re actually helping me with this … the concept of intuitive eating that you’re teaching me is really helping! Thanks lady:)
damn, i just bought about 12 of those little bitches cause they were on sale. the flavors are just sooo tempting. Upside down pineapple cake? Apple Turnover? Forget about it. Angel loses every time.
I have the pineapple flavor too! I couldn’t resist!
For me it’s always the opposite. I want to/should buy it but wont for cost, but then I usually do anyway