Are you HANGRY??
/Impulse eating
It happens to all of us. You know the feeling - you are away from home running errands, or you are out later than expected or because you had to stay late at work…… you realize that you are hungry. Not just a little hungry You are hangry! You haven’t eaten for hours, your head is starting to throb, your tummy is growling and you can’t think straight.
Bottom line: you need food. Now!
As you survey your options, you realize that getting something to eat that is even remotely healthy is going to be nearly impossible. But you have little choice, so you grab a burger or a salad with grilled chicken, small order of fries just to get you through.
Occasionally this might be an option but too many times this will sabotage your efforts at health and fitness at weight loss or muscle gains
The KEY IS to stop having eating emergencies
It does take some planning, but it isn’t as hard as you might think.
I like to think of it as
Plan A a perfectly preplanned food prep
Plan B having your non perishable items available in your office and or car
Plan C making the best possible choice if you neglect A or B Which IMO means you go to the grocery store and get healthier choices like sliced turkey and veggies with hummus and an apple
The first step is to make a list of healthy, on-the-go foods that you enjoy eating. Make sure that you include things with healthy fats, protein and carbs. When you are very hungry, you need to have all the macronutrients covered in order to get quick energy, satisfy your hunger and clear your brain fog. This does not have to be a complete meal, but it needs to be balanced enough to substitute for one if needed.
Here are some ideas to help you get started.
▪Unsalted nuts. Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts. These should be consumed in small quantities My fav go to is 6 Brazil nuts with 6 dark chocolate espresso beans prepped in a small Tupperware
▪Raw Veggies. They are crisp, juicy, cold and sweet and full of the micronutrients your body craves. Add your favorite hummus or lo-cal dip occasionally
▪Cheese. If you eat dairy, having a small slice of your favorite cheese will give you a complete protein, a little fat and be very comforting. Remember: the goal is to tame the beast inside you that is calling out for a hotdog from the nearest drive through window. This is a mental exercise as well as physical!
▪Nut butters. Cashew, almond, peanut...find your favorite. Almond butter is great on a banana; cashew butter is perfect on whole grain crackers. Go ahead and put 7-8 chocolate chips on top if you want. This is a tiny indulgence that will go far to settle your craving.
▪Boiled eggs. Do you like cold, salted boiled eggs? Another favorite of mine
▪Sardines. Yes, you read that right. If you like fish, you can buy small packets of wild caught sardines that travel very well. Or tuna I like to stock jars of tuna in my office for such hangry episodes
▪Water. You need to drink enough water.
The second step seems obvious, but it has to happen if you are going to eliminate impulse eating: buy the food on your list. You have to get it in your house, your office your car so you have it when you need it.
The third step is to plan your food kit. This food has to travel with you, and you have to decide how you are going to transport it. The secret is convenience. If you only have five minutes to grab your kit on your way out the door before work, it has to be streamlined. Ideally you will leave yourself more than five minutes, but life happens.
Here are some tips to help you set up your food kit for ease and speed.
▪Small cooler. Purchase a small cooler that will hold an ice pack and several other things. Keep this in your kitchen so you can grab it on the go.
▪Plates, utensils, napkins. Whether you use paper/plastic or your everyday items, get a bag and put a couple of plates, some utensils and some napkins in it. You will use this same bag every time you use your kit, so it becomes a habit. It can be a plastic bag, a cloth bag or a paper bag. It doesn’t matter. The point is that you can grab this bag on your way out the door and know that it has what you need in it.
▪Small storage containers or plastic bags.You need individual containers to put your food in. Don’t take the whole package of cheese or the whole bag of chocolate chips, because you will end up eating too much. Put one or two pieces of cheese in a container, and put only 7-8 chocolate chips in a bag. Toss some nuts in one container, some cut up fruit in another. Also, you don’t have to prepare everything in advance. In a pinch, you can eat a big bell pepper just like an apple! Just have a plan so you can get it fast when needed. Some things don’t have to be separately packaged, such as your nut butter.
▪A tote bag or duffle bag. This bag will be your “picnic basket,” so to speak. Stuff everything into it that does not go into the cooler.
▪Water bottle. You need something to carry your water in
You’ve done the hard part. You’ve figured out what foods will make you happy and help you through the emergency, you’ve stocked up on them, you have gathered what you need for transport and you have your water situation figured out.
All that is left is making it happen. You have to take the food with you when you leave the house. The first few times you do this, it will seem complicated and tedious. But eventually, you will do it with little thought. It will be habit. That is why using the same cooler, the same bags and the same water container every time is so important. You will likely even find you grab the same foods nearly every time—it’s just easier. And it has to be easy, or you won’t do it.
The happy result is that when you are out and realize you are hungry, you will not have to eat food from a restaurant. You will have an assortment of health and energy promoting foods at your fingertips.
