Coming off of the holiday season, I am recovering from celebration after celebration involving food. Like many Americans, I started out the year determined for a reset. However, here I am thirteen days into the New Year and I find myself still struggling to find my stride with nutrition because I seem to be still surrounded by junk food every single day.
My boss at my muggle job brought chocolates and left them right on my desk since I sit at the front counter. Our landlord brought us sub sandwiches, chips and cookies to thank us for being great tenants. There have already been two birthday parties, one wedding, and two Moose’s (Pizza) Mondays. Determined to make the new year my healthiest year yet, I brainstormed with my students on strategies for sticking to a nutritious eating plan, surrounded by junk food or not. Here is what we came up with:
Food-Related Strategies:
1. Perform a kitchen detox to get rid of food items that aren’t serving you on your quest for health.
Beware of foods like protein bars and juice that guise themselves as health foods.
Consider whether you might benefit from going grain free, or at least gluten free. New research indicates gluten can affect the blood / brain barrier and contribute to depression, even in people who aren’t considered gluten intolerant, so I personally try to stay away from it.
When reading labels, remember sugar goes by many names: organic cane juice, honey, agave, maple syrup, cane syrup, molasses, maltodextrin and xanthan gum.
Spices and seasonings – watch for sugars or silicon dioxide (aka sand. Yep, you read that right. Silicon dioxide is often used as an anti-caking agent for spices and is NOT anything I want in my body!)
Check your beef/chicken soup stock for gluten. I was surprised to find gluten hiding in mine after I had tried to go gluten-free!
2. Stock up on lean meats (organic, grass fed if possible), fruits and vegetables (organic if possible). For seasonings, make sure you have pepper, salt, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive on hand.
3. I have been talking about my food prep Sundays for years. Whatever day of the week you choose, take some time to turn your healthy meats, fruits and vegetables into ready-to-eat salads, soups, and casseroles, whatever. Because if you don’t have healthy food prepared when hunger strikes, I guarantee you will be grabbing for the pre-packaged convenience foods that you will later regret eating.
Social Strategies
1. Find ways to spend time with friends that don’t involve food. Go for a walk or attend a class at a fitness or aerial studio! Even if you have never been to a class, we have classes for total beginners and would love to have you!
2. Have a plan for attending events that might have unhealthy food out. For example, for birthdays parties at restaurants, consider dropping a gift before or after dinner time. I realize this means skipping the heart of the party, but with an excuse to party nearly every other day, I feel this is a sacrifice I need to make for my health. This is no different than recovering alcoholics needing to avoid spending time in a bar. It’s crucial for success.
3. Speaking of alcohol, limiting it may be the single most important move for those pursuing health. After going through a (sadly) 15-year phase where I would drink until black out regularly and had a seemingly never-ending hang-over, I gave up alcohol cold turkey about 10 years ago. I went from late night pig out sessions to try to absorb my drunken-ness, to be able to wake up early, feeling amazing, for a weekend workout.
Strategies for Curbing Mindless Eating
1. When you feel hungry, try drinking a cup of tea or sparkling water with fresh lemon or lime before you eat to make sure it’s not thirst you are feeling.
2. When you head out for the day, always take your next meal with you. For example, I pack nuts & apples when I go to the ski area, so I have snacks for the drive home. Protein shakes are another easy go-to.
3. Brush your teeth in the early evening to signify the closing of your daily eating window and get to bed at a decent hour instead of going for that late night snack to fuel you past a proper bedtime.
It has taken me a lot of trial and error to get to where I am today, and I plan to keep doing the work of committing (and, yes, re-committing) to my health every single day. I will not beat myself up for the slip-ups I have had in the past, but I will employ these strategies to help mitigate slips in the future. Thank you to my students for these awesome ideas. If you are interested in joining our community, just please reach out! We are stronger when we unite in our journey for health, and I would be honored to hold space for you. XOXO, Mindy
Article by Mindy Cochran. Mindy is a practitioner, teacher, and performer of aerial silks, aerial hammock, and aerial hoop; as well as a health columnist for Montana Woman Magazine. Her column shares expertise for elevating health & wellness which she has acquired through her certifications as a personal trainer, nutrition coach, and life coach. To connect with Mindy on Instagram, please visit: www.instagram.com/aerial.mindy; or visit her Linktree here.
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