Permanent Weight Loss: Dr. Barbara L Katz
Do you snack while watching TV or a movie, even if you’ve recently eaten?
Are you compelled to enter your favorite bakery or ice cream shop while walking past them? When you enter your house, do you immediately head to the kitchen to look for something to eat? Are there other times when you often eat out of habit, even when you’re not hungry – such as when reading, doing crafts, or before bed? Frequent habit-eating can make it difficult to lose weight permanently.
We Are Acting By Habit:
Do you feel uncomfortable if you try to watch TV, read, or do crafts without eating? If you’ve had a stressful day, can you easily walk into your house and bypass the kitchen? What happens when you walk past your favorite ice cream shop without stopping? Are you able to fall asleep without a nighttime snack?
“Remember, you have the power to change your “automatic” eating habits.”
Our brains are wired to make things easy for ourselves. In the distant past, when danger could lurk anywhere, there was no time to stop and ponder the consequences of every action. Many actions occurred almost automatically for our protection.
Even now, when we don’t usually need that automatic protection, much of what we do frequently will occur almost without thought. For instance, when we find ourselves opening the refrigerator after work or grabbing some M&Ms when passing the candy dish -– before even realizing what we’re doing -– we are acting by habit.
Remember, you have the power to change your automatic eating habits. By taking a moment to pause, you can start the process of changing. A simple sticky note on the pantry or refrigerator door can remind you to stop and decide how much you want that snack. You may easily be able to break your snacking habit by sitting in a different chair (than your usual) to watch TV or taking a path that does not take you past the candy dish.
Habit-Eating:
If you automatically grab cookies or chips from the pantry, try pre-portioning them and storing them in a place that’s difficult to reach (such as in that cabinet over the refrigerator). If you eat before going to sleep, brushing and flossing your teeth after dinner may help you re-consider that bedtime snack. Habit-eating is not difficult to change once you recognize your habits. The less often you indulge in eating from habit, the sooner your desire to habit-eat will change. Use your creativity to find ways to pause before automatically eating.
Remember, even small changes can lead to significant results. Sometimes, altering only one daily habit is enough to kick-start weight loss. For instance, when you stop snacking after dinner while watching TV, you may start losing weight without making any other changes. Habit-eating can be a powerful and effective strategy if your goal is to lose your excess weight permanently.
Did you enjoy this article? Become a Kuel Life Member today to support our Community. Sign-up for our Sunday newsletter and get your content delivered straight to your inbox.
About the Author:
Dr. Barbara L Katz is a physician, an Advanced Certified Weight Loss Coach and a Life Coach for women over 50. She is CEO of Dr Barbara L Katz, Coaching and specializes in helping women over 50 to lose their excess weight for the last time without dieting or excessive exercise. She, herself, lost over 40 pounds in her 60s with the help of coaching. In her free time, she participates in dog obedience, agility, and therapy dog visits to the local children’s hospital with her 2 pugs.
As a coach, she helps women visualize themselves as their future selves, comfortable and controlled around all foods. You can sign up for her weekly posts on her website, https://drbarbaralkatzcoaching.com. Every week in your inbox, you will receive information about how to lose weight successfully and permanently without dieting.
