Diet and Shopping the Outer Limits

You're not the only one who gets food cravings. Boredom, TV commercials, stress, or just plain hunger will bring on the munchies in a heart beat. Seldom, though, do I run to the store late at night or in the middle of my workday to feed my sweet tooth or buy a bag of chips.

If I don't have it in my pantry or handy in snack form, I find I can do without the food I'm craving. On the other hand, if there's a bag of Milano cookies in my cupboard or a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream in my freezer, you can be sure it will be gone within minutes. Now, tell me that hasn't happened to you!

Even if I have healthy food in the house as an alternative, I will reach for the chips and dip, or the cookies instead of the veggies and fruit. So how do we conquer this temptation? It isn't about discipline...well maybe a little, but more about making smart food choices when we go food shopping.

In Fat Loss is a Marathon, Not a Sprint, I mention writing down a "why" to create a strong commitment for fat loss. Your menu planning and food shopping is where your commitment first shows up in everyday living.

Until you've successfully incorporated the 16 keys to lasting fat loss into your lifestyle, you will want to be conscious about making a menu, writing down your food list, and sticking to that when you shop.

To start, do a quick review of what you have on your shelves and in your refrigerator. Keep the healthy and nutritious food and either give away or chuck those things that might tempt you during the week. Start with a clean slate and begin planning your menu with those staples you have on hand. Choose recipes you know you'll like that fit the 16 keys, and maybe try a new dish each week to mix it up. Plan for all meals and include balanced snacks. If you have a family, eating for health instead of dieting means that your entire family can enjoy what you plan. They benefit from not having junk food around, and eating habits formed as children grow up will impact their health for years to come.

Once you've planned and reviewed your menu for the week, create your food list. Then, add to your shopping list the things missing from your pantry that are needed to prepare the menu. If you know the layout of your store, you can create categories that correspond with the way you shop the store.

Strategy #1: Get in and out of the store as quickly as possible. This raises your success rate in your commitment to lose weight, and saves you time and money. The way you shop will have a huge impact on how well you stick to your menu. If you've categorized your shopping list then you will spend less time looking for the item, and have less chance of being distracted by other items nearby.

Strategy #2: Shop the outer limits. Have you noticed that the freshest and healthiest foods tend to be located on the perimeter of the store? Most of the canned and processed foods, along with all the junk food like chips, candy, and pop reside on the inner aisles of the store. Nearly all of these foods tend to be high caloric, high glycemic, high in dyes and additives, and full of trans-fats, all the things you want to avoid if you are eating to be lean and healthy for life. Outside of the baking aisle, where you find healthy cooking oils, packaged nuts and some awesome spices that will help you lose weight, and perhaps the aisles with canned veggies, pastas, and rice, you will want to keep your shopping limited to the "outer limits" of the store.

Strategy #3: Buy fresh! If you can, buy your seasonal produce from a farmer's market, or an organic food store. Use the money you save from buying snacks and junk food and spend it on good quality produce instead. When you buy meat and dairy, look for those items that are hormone and chemical free and from animals that have been range fed. This helps keep your liver and lymphatic system more free of toxins. These two hidden weight gain factors also set the stage for potential disease later in life. Make sure you wash and re-package your veggies and fruit in containers that will keep them fresh and crisp for both cooking and quick snacking.

Strategy #4: Shop without the kids...the husband too. There is nothing that will kill the best shopping intentions than having your family along for the ride. If you have young kids, I encourage you to set up a shopping time coop with some other moms and plan your shopping trips around play time with their kids and then reciprocate by having play time for their kids while they shop. It will save you time, money, whining, or embarassing tantrums when you say no. With older kids it may be a good idea to have them come along and help you read labels and look for healthy alternatives to the popular junk foods and sugary cereals and snacks that are advertised to this market. Teaching healthy living and wise shopping to your kids will incorporate habits that will serve them as they grow into adults.

Unless your spouse is as committed as you are to weight loss and healthy eating, it's a good idea to shop alone. If you want to enjoy a treat together, make a date for the movies and treat yourselves to a small bag of popcorn or go out for coffee and dessert. An occasional treat outside the home won't sabotage your daily efforts to stay on track and the time together will make the treat all the more special.