The Situational Eating Trap

I've talked about intentional eating and unintentional eating this week.  But there's another type of eating.  It's called "situational eating".  This one is often times the hardest to deal with.  I think it stems from the fact that in our society, food is part of EVERYTHING we do.  Literally everything.  Birthday at the office?  Food.  Movie theater?  Food.  Visiting with neighbors?  Food.  Little league baseball game?  Food (that one still makes me NUTS).  My point is that we tend to feel left out when we choose to not eat the crap that's offered to us everywhere we go.  But here's the thing, you can get yourself out of that mindset.  It's not easy, and it takes practice, but you can do it.  I love this article from jillfit about situational eating. Let me know what you think.

People who continue to struggle allow their circumstances and environment to dictate how they’ll eat.

Regarding environments, there exists a major difference between how lean people respond and how people who continue to struggle do. And that is this: people who struggle allow their circumstances and environment to dictate how they’ll eat. At the movies? “Well, Ihave to get popcorn!” At the office? “It’ll be rude to not eat this cake for Susie’s birthday!” At the state fair? “I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to have fried dough again, I have to get it!” And on and on.

It’s not that these things, every once in a while are “bad,” it’s just that you can’t go around all day every day reacting to your environment this way and expect to get lean.

Conversely, people who stay lean make the best choice possible wherever they end up. And they rarely feel like they’re “missing out.”

Conversely, lean people eat how they eat regardless of where they end up. Going out to dinner … doesn’t matter if they end up at McDonalds or a five-star restaurant, they know they’re getting lean protein and veggies or a salad with protein. A catered event? Instead of using the event as an excuse or “special occasion,” they do what they do, picking at mostly protein-centric apps and veggies if they can. The fact that there are rolls and butter, starchy apps and drinks doesn’t phase them because they are in the HABIT of eating how they eat.

Does this seem impossible to you???

It did to me a few years ago, too. I rolled my eyes at people who touted “moderation” and I didn’t understand people who didn’t finish everything on their plate or polish off a bag of chips if it was in front of them. I didn’t understand how someone could resist EATING IT ALL UNTIL IT WAS GONE.

I get it. I totally do.

And I’m not asking you to go from A to Z right now. That’s impossible. The idea that we can go from obsessed-with-food to moderation is absurd. I like to think about this journey like climbing a ladder. You can’t reach the top without stepping your foot on every single rung in between. That’s how adopting a lean lifestyle works.

But it begins with mindfulness. And mindfulness specifically around YOUR SITUATIONS. If you think you are a “situational eater” like I described above, just start with saying “no” one time each day. Start with that candy jar at work or skipping booze at Happy Hour. Just say no once a day until it starts getting easier (and it will, I promise). And be mindful of your environment. Ask, Am I allowing the situation to dictate my eating? Or am I eating how I eat (as a lean person)? You know what to do; you’re just caught up in the struggle to actually do it. That’s common. But, that’s also where mindfulness comes in.

I know you might be thinking, “Well, this just takes the fun right out of food, Jill!” Ha! I get that too  Food is fun, right?! Besides, we likegetting popcorn at the movies. We like having cake at the office party. We like relaxing with a glass of wine at dinner.

But you know what’s even more fun? Having control over what goes in your mouth and being able to say no when opportunities to indulge arise. Staying lean with less effort. Not being obsessed with food anymore. That’s a frigging blast! And it just takes you STARTING the process. Beginning to think, act and be a lean person. Ask, Am I just eating this because it’s here? Would I consciously go out and get this if left to my own devices? The answer is usually going to be that you’re eating it because of your situation, not because you actually want it.

So, start right now.  Say NO once today and stay mindful about your environments and ask yourself the tough questions. You’ll get there one meal at a time, one day at a time, I promise.

Have a fabuolus weekend.  Go team USA!!!!