Weighting Line

Tuesday is “Throw It Out Day”

by Diane Penna on November 4th, 2008

Today I’m taking a big leap of faith. I’m assuming you trust me enough to guide you where you need to go with your personal weight loss journey. I’ve been there. I know how you feel. You’re fragile, skeptical that I can help, and probably filled with anger because you weren’t blessed with the “skinny” gene.

Well, one thing you’ve probably learned about me by now is that I’m going to be honest, with you and with myself. We didn’t get overweight by eating all the right foods and participating in daily exercise. I know what needs to be done to lose this extra weight, because I’ve done it before. Chances are you have too. So, let’s go through our first difficult project together.

Today is “Throw It Out Day”

There are just some things that do not belong in our homes. We all know that the best way to avoid eating something is to keep it out of our sight. And I am willing to bet that right now, in your cupboards or on your counter–or maybe even in your mouth–is some of that yummy Halloween goodness.

Even if you don’t have kids, I bet you’ve picked up a bag or two at the store, most likely as an impulse buy while you were at the store for something else. I really can’t blame you there. Just this morning I went to the grocery store and there were shelves full of leftover holiday candy, marked down of course. I started to walk toward it, but turned around knowing if I looked at it I would not only buy it, but eat it.

If you have kids at home with candy buckets, I’m not asking you to throw their candy out, though it is a good idea to ask them to keep it in their rooms, or otherwise out of your sight. If they’re too young to monitor their own candy consumption, you’ll have to exercise some self-control. That’s it–it is up to you and only you to stay out of it.

What to Toss

All of that extra Halloween candy that’s tempting you.

What if I Don’t Want to?

You can give it to a neighbor or a friend. Take it to your local homeless shelter or school. Many places take donations of candy for special events.

Why Should I Do This?

If you see it, you will eat it. Candy is basically sugar with some other add-ins that you don’t want in your body. Don’t fool yourself by saying a Snickers® is good protein because it has nuts. Some people think that fat free candy is okay for your body, while nothing could be further from the truth! Sugar is just as bad as, if not worse than, fat. Also, just like anything it will turn into fat if you don’t burn it off.

What Should I Eat Instead?

If you are craving chocolate, wean yourself off the candy by substituting chocolate-flavored yogurt. It’s yummy, and you’ll get your calcium too. Also check your store’s freezer section. There you can find a large variety of Sugar Free Popsicle’s® in fruit, chocolate, and cream flavors. One word of caution–don’t eat too many sugar free items, as the sugar alcohol substitute used in products can cause digestive problems.

How Will This Benefit Me?

Not only will you be eating significantly less calories and fat each day, but you’ll also start to crave sugar less often. Once your body is starved of sugar for a period of time, it actually will lose its desire for it. If you’re battling a constant craving for sweets, cut out anything that remotely tastes sweet for one to two weeks and it should make a big difference.

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POSTED IN: Healthy Eating, Lifestyle Changes