Sounds silly, doesn’t it? But in fact, many people who binge-eat do so because they are uncomfortable with the feeling of happiness. In the past, feeling happy may have been closely followed by disappointment or sadness. We may not realize it, but a history of repeated disappointments could have set us up to avoid happiness anytime it surfaced. Binge-eating is one common way to distract ourselves from any feelings that we have subconsciously learned to avoid. For some, the feeling of conflict may be the trigger; for others, it could be anger.
The next time you find yourself eating when you are not hungry, think about the event that happened or the feeling that surfaced right before the binging. Oh, and I define bingeing as eating more than your body needs to maintain your ideal weight (based on the Center for Disease Control’s body mass index) or eating when you are not hungry.
What feeling might you be trying to avoid?
McDonald's Unhappy Meal
As a subscriber to The New York Times online, I was shocked when I read the following article, Not So Happy Meals, from the December 20, 2010 edition.
Child: Mom, can we go to McDonald's for dinner?
Mom: No.
Child: But Mom....
Mom: I love you, dear, and that's why I'm saying no. How about Subway? We could split a sandwich, and with the money we save, you could get a new coloring book.
When saying "no," if you offer an option, you're not only changing the subject, you're changing your child's mindset too. And one more thing: never, never attempt to shame your child by saying something stupid. Just say no, and follow your answer with "I love you." When your child writes his or her memoir in twenty or thirty years, you'll be glad you did!
It's standard marketing: pitch your product to the most easily persuadable. Or as Roy Bergold, a former McDonald's head of advertising, argued once: "Go after kids." McDonald's had done just that with the Happy Meal, a choice of burgers, nuggets, fries and other specialties with a must-have toy.Parents, there are many, many creative ways to say "no." The easiest and most efficient way goes like this:
According to a recent consumer survey, 37 percent of kids rank McDonald's as the top fast-food restaurant. This is nearly four times as many as those favoring the No. 2 chain, Subway. The key is heavy advertising to children - Happy meals account for about 10 percent of McDonald's ad spending - and , of course, the toys.
A Happy Meal of cheeseburger with fries and soda packs 640 calories, more than half the U.S.D.A. daily allowance for a sedentary child aged 4 to 8, as well as about half the allotment of fat. McDonald's has added healthier choices to its menu - things like mild and Apple Dippers with low-fat caramel dip. But a study of 44 McDonald's outlets from the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that French fries were automatically put in the bag 93 percent of the time.
The Happy Meal is up for some well-deserved scrutiny. Last week a mom from Sacramento filed a class-action suit supported by the center to make McDonald's stop using toys as bait to lure children. Last month, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a measure requiring that meals sold with toys meet a minimum standard of nutrition.
McDonald's chief executive, Jim Skinner, has pushed back at what he calls the "food police," arguing that these actions seek to deprive families of choice. A company spokesperson told us, "We are proud of our Happy Meals and intend to vigorously defend our brand, our reputation and our food."
Parents are responsible for their children's diet. And they certainly could do a better job: almost 17 percent of American children are obese, three times as many as in the 1970s. But it would be easier for parents to do their job if they didn't have to push back against the relentless tide of marketing aimed at their children.
Child: Mom, can we go to McDonald's for dinner?
Mom: No.
Child: But Mom....
Mom: I love you, dear, and that's why I'm saying no. How about Subway? We could split a sandwich, and with the money we save, you could get a new coloring book.
When saying "no," if you offer an option, you're not only changing the subject, you're changing your child's mindset too. And one more thing: never, never attempt to shame your child by saying something stupid. Just say no, and follow your answer with "I love you." When your child writes his or her memoir in twenty or thirty years, you'll be glad you did!
Water, Water Everywhere!!!
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE, AND NARY A DROP I DRINK!
Does this describe your relationship to water? Tsk, tsk, if so. The body’s need for water is second only to air, and food comes in a not-all-that-close third!
More often than we realize, we may eat because we think we’re hungry, but in reality, we could simply be thirsty. With the incredible amount of stress and information overload so many of us are bombarded with, it’s no wonder the brain gets confused. Then again, maybe it gets confused because it’s dehydrated. If we can’t think straight when we get overtired, hungry, or thirsty…and it’s our brain that does our thinking…get the connection yet?
If you are trying to lose weight, water is your very best friend. Actually, it’s your very best friend even if you’re not trying to lose weight. Here’s an analogy: Would you rinse your clean dishes in Diet Coke? How about your car? Better yet, what do you think your clothes would look like if the final rinse was with coffee? Not a pretty sight, is it? Our bodies need rinsing too.
When we burn calories, waste matter is created. We need pure, fresh, water to move those toxins out of our system. And we need to consume one ounce for every two pounds of body weight every day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you need to drink 75 ounces of water. Attempting to rinse with anything but pure, clean water is no different than rinsing your clothes in anything but pure, clean water.
Ever notice the stains in the armpits of white t-shirts? I’ll bet you that person is a heavy coffee or soda drinker! Whatever you eat or drink that does not get “rinsed” out will secrete out of your skin.
BUSTED!!!
Does this describe your relationship to water? Tsk, tsk, if so. The body’s need for water is second only to air, and food comes in a not-all-that-close third!
More often than we realize, we may eat because we think we’re hungry, but in reality, we could simply be thirsty. With the incredible amount of stress and information overload so many of us are bombarded with, it’s no wonder the brain gets confused. Then again, maybe it gets confused because it’s dehydrated. If we can’t think straight when we get overtired, hungry, or thirsty…and it’s our brain that does our thinking…get the connection yet?
If you are trying to lose weight, water is your very best friend. Actually, it’s your very best friend even if you’re not trying to lose weight. Here’s an analogy: Would you rinse your clean dishes in Diet Coke? How about your car? Better yet, what do you think your clothes would look like if the final rinse was with coffee? Not a pretty sight, is it? Our bodies need rinsing too.
When we burn calories, waste matter is created. We need pure, fresh, water to move those toxins out of our system. And we need to consume one ounce for every two pounds of body weight every day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you need to drink 75 ounces of water. Attempting to rinse with anything but pure, clean water is no different than rinsing your clothes in anything but pure, clean water.
Ever notice the stains in the armpits of white t-shirts? I’ll bet you that person is a heavy coffee or soda drinker! Whatever you eat or drink that does not get “rinsed” out will secrete out of your skin.
BUSTED!!!
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