Confessions of a Secret Biscuit Eater

Confessions of a Secret Biscuit Eater

Confessions of a Secret Biscuit Eater OptiMum Health

Confession time….

I have become a secret biscuit eater….

So secret in fact, that I hadn’t realised I was doing it!

A few pounds have crept on over recent weeks so this last few days I’ve been reviewing my nutrition. I knew I’d had the odd biscuit here and there and consciously decided to cut these out…it was only then did I realise quite how often I was actually reaching for the biscuit barrel.

It was only on day 1 of “biscuit exclusion” did it become clear how much I’d sneaked into my “good nutrition”….as I caught myself heading for the cupboard when I made a brew; thought of having one on the way back from the school run; just one in the evening won’t hurt…..

Are biscuits your guilty pleasure and do you know how many you're really having?

Are biscuits your guilty pleasure and do you know how many you’re really having?

It’s so easy to have these little bits here and there that seem insignificant and we can either explain away to ourselves or not even realise we’re doing it.

This is typically when I hear the claim from clients that they “only eat this much” but can’t understand why their shape is not changing or they are gaining weight.

I see it in food diaries too – where recorded intake just doesn’t tie up with what a person is experiencing.

This is not always consciously done….like I’ve done, odd little bits here and there can creep in. Just the odd one here and there, until they form a part of everyday consumption..sometimes more than once each day.

It’s not always obvious either – it could be dressings on summer salads, cocktails or other tipples in the evening, sauces to accompany your “good nutrition” or even the type & amount of oil you cook in.

Individually those little additions may not present an issue, but they add up – more than you realise.

So is your “unexplained weight gain” or struggle to lose weight down to these peripheral food and drink items that are sneaking in under the radar?

If so, what you can do about it?

There’s always the drastic approach of going cold turkey – cutting them out completely. Depending on your mindset, this may well work for You….how long for though?

For me….I know it’s in no-one’s interest for me to cut out chocolate completely so I’m going for a double pronged approach:

– a chocolate allowance – not as draconian as it sounds but I factor 2 squares of dark chocolate into my intake every day. That way, I know I can have chocolate every day. This works for me.

– re-awakening my mindful approach to eating between meals. So being more aware of when I’m reaching for that biscuit barrel and consciously deciding whether I want that biscuit or not. Am I really hungry? Is there a better choice I could make? Sometimes the biscuit barrel will get opened, and that’s fine as I know it won’t be as often as has been happening of late

What should your approach be?

It depends. Depends on what you’re aiming for, what would suit your daily schedule, mindset and approach to these secret food eating situations.

There is no right and wrong. Some things you may try and they may not work….don’t give up. Think it through, tweak it based on what you’ve learned about yourself and try again.

Start to be open and honest with yourself about these little items though and consciously decide how much of them you want against how much your goals mean to you.

Find a balance that suits You.

Lisa

P.S. Before you go off, being hard on yourself for having the odd biscuit, tipple or other guilty pleasure, think about talking kindly to yourself to improve your fat loss success by clicking here