Your Body Panics

Let's face it: human beings aren't designed for a life of ease and plenty. Our bodies are geared towards survival, which means doing everything possible to avoid dying. With me so far?

One of the ingenious ways our bodies try to keep us alive is to recognise the warning signs of starvation ASAP, and counteract impending doom by triggering us to go out and get food before we're too weak to do it properly. When our blood sugar levels drop too much or our nutrient levels are low, we get strong desires to eat foods high in fat and sugar - things the body can use to convert to energy straightaway.

Sadly, our bodies don't stop just because we're already carrying enough fat to feed a whole family of hyenas. And this is important if you've ever felt that your eating is out of control. It's not the only possible reason, but it's arguably the most common - you're sending your body the wrong messages, and it's not smart enough to realise there's a problem.

Taking Back Your Control

You've probably heard that a number of small, healthy meals throughout the day will help you lose weight. That's mostly true. It's definitely a good place to start. Keep nutritious, low-fat food nearby, and snack regularly - once every 2 hours or so. Fruits and vegetables are typically good choices. Apples, pears, grapes, oranges, carrots, tomatoes, even raw broccoli or cauliflower. They're higher in nutrients when raw, which means your body is even less likely to panic. Include nuts, seeds and bread, but in smaller portions than the fruit and veg.

It's OK to eat treats. No, really, it IS, as long as you keep them small and occasional. One biscuit or a couple of squares of chocolate a day won't kill you. But keep this in mind - most treats aren't actually food. Chocolate, lollies, chips and cookies have a nutritional content near zero. So don't eat them straightaway if you're hungry. Eat them after something healthy, or as a garnish to a healthy meal - fruit salad with chocolate topping, for example.

Dealing with the Cravings

Every now and then, you're bound to find yourself absolutely ravenous and desperately wanting something high in fat and/or sugar. It happens. But you can take control!

Here's a strategy which works well for me -

Take a small amount of whatever it is you're wanting - let's say cheese. Grab a piece of fruit or two as well. Alternate small bites of the unhealthy with large bites of the healthy. Before too long, your body will stop panicking and you can go back to your healthy snacking - without the nasty damage.