I WANT A COOKIE, MOMMY!

Lets start at the beginning, a very good place to start.  When we were little foodies, it was common for a cookie to be a reward and/or pacifer.  Mommies say things like, "If you're good, you can have a cookie," or "You won't get desert unless you finish your veggies".  Hmmmm....lets analyze, shall we?  The equation looks like this: veggies = punishment whereas sugar = reward.  What child wants to suffer through their veggies?  Just gimme a cookie!!!  No wonder we're all jazzed up about the way we think about food.

Now lets think about emotions and food.  If you're stressed out, what do you want?  If you're lonely, what do you reach for?  Depressed? Treating yourself?  Celebrating?  We can justify a splurge for nearly every emotion we experience.  Stir in low blood sugar and you have yourself one hek of a disaster.

The other day I was running errands all afternoon. Before I left my house I grabbed a banana guessing  my normal lunch time would be altered on account of my chores.  I turned down a wrong street in a new neighborhood and voila...my lunch time got pushed WAY back.  I was glad my banana was sitting shot gun, it kept me from pulling over and getting fast food.  But it hit me like a TON of bricks....I'm hungry and irritated.....I WANT FOOD!!  I was angry because I could not find the store I was looking for and the minutes kept ticking away.  I was surrounded by golden arches, Taco Bell's and Burger Kings.
I nearly caved.

The thoughts racing through my head: "Get food.  Eat hot and greasy food.  Very angry, eat whatever you want."  I was looking at a possible fast food frenzy!!  I thought about my savvy foodies and kept on the straight and narrow.  It's not easy and it takes a lot of retraining.  I did reward myself with some fat-free frozen yogurt AFTER I had a spinach and veggie salad.  I'm an advocate for rewards, but I'm savvy about them.


With education, dedication and a commitment to being a savvy foodie it is possible to resist temptations.  It takes awhile to retrain the brain.  I have to think about food in a different way and stop letting sugar be a reward.  It's a treat, sure.  But my reward comes from never having to think maternity pants are the only comfy pants again!!  WHOOP!