Everyday our bodies need food. As a people we have spent 100’s of years cooking, eating, learning about the body, running experiments on health, and amassing vast amounts of data on food.
It is true to say that at this point, we know more than we ever have before, and we are not done. Health scientists are actively researching and adding more to what we know by the day.
We absolutely have the tools and know-how to build human bodies that are stronger and healthier than ever before.
How is it then, with all we know, we are fatter and unhealthier than ever before and there is so much confusion about food?
At the same time that we have gathered all of this knowledge, we as humans have been equally busy figuring out how to feed all of the people on this planet. That relentless and backbreaking hustle has evolved into billions of dollars and endless opportunities for the food industry.
As a result, we are surrounded by unbelievable amounts of low quality foods that aren’t just easily available, but aggressively marketed, cheap, and designed to make us overeat and buy more.
Looking Under the Hood Of Big-Food
Here are some terms to know:
Bliss Point – Foods with the perfect combo of sweet, salty and crunchy to activate the pleasure center of your brain.
Hyper-palatable – Foods that go easy on the palate, and are therefore easy to overeat. Ex, chips are hyper-palatable where carrots and broccoli are not.
Frankenfood – This is a substance that can be chewed, swallowed, and will come out the other end, but the ingredients have been so altered in processing, it is now a food-like substance and no longer retains any befits of the original ingredients.
Have you ever eaten something that is such a perfect amount of sweet and salty and crunchy that when you eat it your eyes just about roll back into your head and you could dive straight into the bag face first and eat until your jaw hurts? You are eating a Hyper-palatable, Frankenfood, with a high Bliss Point. This is the gold bar that food manufacturers seek to hit. They know that if they can tickle your brain just right, you will be more likely to keep eating and buy more of their product.
The tricky part is that these addictive processed snacks are not designed with your health in mind. They are high in calories and low in nutrients. If you eat your fill, you will still be left feeling hungry and your energy will be low as your body calls for the nutrients needed to truly run well.
Packaging and Advertising Tricks
On top of all the research on how to keep us eating and spending on processed foods, big food companies have outsized budgets to spend on packaging and advertising that will also keep us buying and eating.
It was found some years ago that people would eat more if food came in a resealable “snack” pouch. Everything from cookies and candy to nuts and dried fruit is now sold in resealable pouches in hopes you will dive in on impulse forget to stop eating so you need to buy a new bag sooner than later.
Many Frakenfoods are wrapped in packaging stamped with terms that make you believe you are eating something healthy like:
Whole Grain
Gluten Free
Protein
Keto-friendly
Low Sugar
Naturally sweetened
Organic
Wholesome
Real Fruit…and more
While the foods in question might fulfill these claims on a technical basis, these health declarations are little more than an attempt to place a “health halo” on a very processed item so that you will see it is a good addition to your diet.
Packaging in green or brown has a stronger association with health than the eye-catching primary colors that have traditionally dominated processed foods. A stroll down the packaged cereal aisle will reveal a hearty new section of cereals and granola bars in natural colored boxes designed to make you believe you are eating the healthier cousin of your favorite golden grahams or fruit loops.
Although these are likely made from better ingredients than the sugary originals, they still fall into the highly processed category designed to get you to overeat while under-delivering on nutrients. These products tend to also come with a much higher price tag that can falsely make people believe they are paying for quality.
The answer? Eating foods that are as close to their natural form as possible is better for your body and your wallet.
What can we do?
- Knowledge is Power
Just knowing and understanding the concepts above can help raise your awareness and keep you from falling easily into the traps designed to maximize your grocery bill and not your health. As you shop and look through your pantry, you will start to see foods with a different eye.
If you fall into the trap of overeating a hyper palatable food, stop and recognize what is happening. Acknowledge that you have fallen into a trap, but that you have stopped. Congratulate yourself and move on. Your new knowledge stopped you sooner than you would have in the past.
2. Recognize Triggers
Pay attention to which foods hit your personal buttons and keep you eating into oblivion so you can avoid or moderate them. Do not keep them stocked in the house.
3. Take a Break
If you do have a special bliss point item, take a break from it for two weeks. Give yourself permission to have a serving of that food after two weeks. After taking some time off, you might find that old favorite doesn’t hold the same power over you anymore.
If on the other hand you still truly adore this food, make peace with that. Be okay with acknowledging that you really love this special treat. Also be proud of having taken two weeks off. Next, give yourself permission to enjoy that treat once every week or two in a set amount, rather than daily with abandon. The treat will be that much more special and you will avoid the feelings of shame and guilt that come with eating it daily.
4. Find Substitutions
What is it that you love about your favorite foods? Is it the crunch? The carb? The sweet? See if you can find a real food option that will satisfy while delivering needed nutrients. Keep these stocked in your house or take them with you to work, so they are at the ready.
Chip lover? Dry Roasted Seasoned Nuts
Granola Bar? Quinoa “Cliff” Cup
Cookies? PB Cookies
Baked Goods? Cooper Cinnamon Muffins
Cereal – Yogurt and homemade granola
Crunchy and Sweet – apples and PB
Crunchy and Salty – Almond butter and celery
5. Eat Whole, Real Foods All Day, Everyday
Here is the thing about snacks, we often over eat them because we are hungry. To do our best, we need regular doses of real food to keep our bodies running and repairing and thinking all day long.
Peri or post menopausal women especially do not do well running on empty, fueled with caffeine and then eating a big meal at the end of the day.
To thrive, keep our bones and muscles strong, and keep our bodies from hoarding fat, it is best to be sure and get real, fresh foods with a hearty portion of protein morning, noon, and night, with some snacks in between.
Becoming over-hungry with extreme fasting, cutting carbs too low, or exercising fasted can set the stage for overeating later in the day and make you more likely to choose foods that deliver bliss and not the nutrients you need.
It can be overwhelming, but try your best to keep it simple and chip away at change. Move regularly, eat whole foods, and get your sleep! Whatever you can do to move the needle in that direction will pay off.
If you are over being frustrated by your body, are tired of being tired, and feel like everything you do makes things worse rather than better, it is time to learn how to take care of your body NOW!
Let me help.
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If you are Perimenopausal or menopausal and feel like you are constantly struggling with inflammation, bloating, exhaustion, constipation, and sudden weight gain. It is likely you suspect it is due to what you are eating, but don’t know what or how to change. You need the Powerup and Reset Program.
In perimenopause and menopause our hormones are totally different, so our approach needs to be different too.
