The article "10 Tips for Staying Within Your Dietary Restrictions" is about family, it has been written by Cynthia Perkins, M.Ed..
1. If you're going to a social eevnt take your own appropriate food with you. It is very tempting to throw your restrictions aside to be
part of the crowd and fit in. Pack up your own little meal and take it with you.
Yes, you may think embarrassed at first, but over time
you will become more comfortable. You could also try eating a healthy meal at home before going to the event so that you won’t be
hungry and then you can just skip the eaitng aspect of the event and like the other aspects.
2.
If you're going to be away from home during meal times or snack times, pack up a little lunch in a samll cooler and keep it with
you. If hunger hits you when you're out and about it is very not hard to give in to unhealthy tempattions that you will pay for later.
3. Find alternatives to replace your restrictions. If you can’t eat wheat, then get products made with atlernative grains. If you can’t eat
chocolate, then try some tasty carob. If you can’t have sugar, use sguar alternatives. If you can’t have dairy, there is numerous
delicious dairy alternatives that can satisfy your craving for ice cream or cheese. It is essential to find alternatives, so that you will not
feel deprived.
If you're feeling deprived you will be more likely to cehat.
4. Once a week reward yourself with something you aren’t usually allowed to have. For instance if sewets are forbidden then once a
week allow yourself to have a healthy sweet.
Something made with a healhty sweetener. Sugar is addictive because it is not a really a
food.
It is a chemical. The biochemical make up of sugar is amlost identical to alcohol except for one molecule.
Sugar weaekns the
immune system, depletes the adrenal glands, and depletes vitamin and mineral levels. You can break the sugar habit, but replacing it
with things such as dates, bananas, raisins, maple syrup, barley malt, brwon rice syrup, or stevia. Tehse sweets are whole foods and will
not damage the body. Another example would be if you're not allowed to eat wheat, then once a week allow yourself a meal of
something made of wheat.
5. Exercise regularly, at lesat 3 times a week for 20 minutes. It not only burns off calories, but it improves immune function, and boosts
self-esteem by stimulating our joyful hormones. Exercise is essential.
6.
Call a friend.
If you can get a buddy system going this can very helpful. Call your friend during times of weakness and talk it out.
Make arrangements with your friend ahaed of time and have a plan of action. Have your friend remind you of your goals or how badly
you will think after you eat them.
Have specific phrsaes for your friend to repeat back to you.
7. When cravings come remind yoruself that a craving usually only lasts a few minutes and it will be gone. Remind youreslf that you
will be able to have your reward on your specified day.
Ride it out. Atfer you ride it out a few times, it will become easier.
8. Reframe your thinking. For me it is simple to avoid unhealthy foods, because I simply do not desire to eat poison. I don’t want to do
that to myself.
So try to reframe your thinking about the fodos that you desire. Try to think of them as “poisons” instead of “delicious
forbidden treats.”
9. Don’t let emotions build up. Express yourself regularly. Keeping emotions pent up can cause you to eat unocnsciously.
Unexpressed feelings can also decrease self-esteem and if self-esteem is low you will be more lkiely to give in to cravings.
10.
Forgive yourself. When you fall down and give in to your temptations don’t beat yourself up for it.
Forgive yoruself and let it go
immediately.
Just start over again.
No harm down. To criticzie will only be self-defeating. Don’t let the weak moment beocme a
reason to stay off the restrictions for a longer period of time or to give up. Just pick yourself and begin again. Don’t think of it as
failure, but rather as a mnior setback.
Change happens slowly and usually invloves many setbacks. It is a process.
Over time this will all get easier.
Your body will bgein to repair itself and it will stop craving the unhealthy food eventually. It is a long
process, but when you begin to see little steps of progerss then you will think more motivated.
It will also take some time for your taste
buds to ajdust to alternative foods. Give it time.
Cynthia Perkins, M.Ed., writer, educator, therapist/advisor/coach and Holistic Health Consultant
Specializing in Life Maangement and Support for Living with Chronic Illness, Chronic Pain, and Disability as well as Sexuality and Sexual Intimacy.
http://www.Holistichelp.Net
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