Hot summer months make me thirsty just thinking about it. Food is usually not on my radar during these sweltering summer months when I’d rather eat light and stay hydrated. However, yesterday was a reminder that when we let our guard down, we are not immune to the dangers of overeating. 

Childhood memories

I was driving with our daughter to do some errands and she wanted coffee with a few extra shots of espresso for energy. Keep in mind that I wasn’t even hungry, to begin with, and had had a healthy breakfast to start the day. Yet, I found myself ordering a hamburger from this place that reminded me of my childhood. 

The emotional pull that certain foods can have on us is a powerful trigger. In my case, it was the memories I tied to this unhealthy fast food as I recalled the first time I ate it when I was at my grandparents in California. Instead of seeing it for the unhealthy food that it is, my brain still associates it with happy memories of visiting my grandparents during the summers. We must be aware of these triggers if we’re going to have a chance in the battle to claim our health back.

Recognising our triggers

Awareness is half the battle, while the other half is making an intentional effort to avoid triggers in the first place. One of the most dangerous zones we may find ourselves in is being on autopilot. That’s when we mindlessly eat without paying attention to the quality or quantity of the food, or to the time we are gobbling it down. A selection might be healthy enough but eating it right before you go to sleep, for example, isn’t the smartest thing to do.

To avoid these traps, we must quickly recognise our triggers and intentionally remove ourselves from those situations. I could have easily convinced my daughter to avoid the coffee place entirely as she could have gotten her coffee from another place that wouldn’t tempt me. That would have been the smarter thing to do instead of thinking that I was immune to these pitfalls. Since I’m doing vigorous workouts at least three times a week, I believed I would naturally make healthier choices. Now I know better!

Food memories

Each person has different triggers; it would be wise to sit down and write them in a journal. Write down what you associate with the food that makes it an emotional pull for you. Think about the childhood memories you associate with that particular food and what it is that you’re craving. Often it has nothing to do with the food itself and a lot to do with a positive feeling you felt when you ate that treat with your family or friends. Many of us have comforting childhood memories that revolve around food. 

Ice cream reminds us of summer fun and carefree days. Learn to identify these and then replace them with healthier selections that are still a treat. A good one is frozen grapes that make a delicious dessert or snack when you want that little something to cool you off. Surf the Internet and you’ll find many low-calorie alternatives.

Overcoming the temptation to compare

Each of us has to answer this: are we willing to do what it takes to give our health top priority? If the answer is yes, then I know that we are much stronger than we think. We can sit down and plan to succeed even when we make a mistake every once in a while. We can insist that we’ll get right back on target instead of continuing our slide downhill. We can give ourselves some grace and know that even though our weight management journey isn’t perfect, we will still head towards our destination no matter how many detours we take along the way. Some of us may get there sooner than others, but the key is never to compare our journey with anyone else’s. No one else is walking in your shoes but yourself, so let’s press on and aim to do better than we did yesterday. 

Here’s to looking forward instead of looking back. Let’s shape new memories and associations with healthier food selections!

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine