Diet Rehab: 28 Days to Finally Stop Craving the Foods That Make You Fat (32 page)

BOOK: Diet Rehab: 28 Days to Finally Stop Craving the Foods That Make You Fat

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Q. What about sugar-free gum?

A:
When it comes to choosing anything in our lives, we always have to consider if the benefit outweighs the risk. The amount of artificial sweetener in sugar-free gum is negligible, and it’s great for preventing cavities and keeping your breath fresh!

Q. What if I mess up and don’t have enough booster foods or booster activities, or have too many pitfalls in one day?

A:
You now know that polarized thinking is a pitfall. That means that if you have one day where you mess up, it does
not
mean that your
whole
Diet Rehab is now ruined. Nor should you engage in personalization, another pitfall style of thinking, where one bad day means that
you
are just too weak or a failure.

What you should do is simply move on to the next day. Now maybe you think that you should punish yourself. Perhaps you think if you had four pitfall food servings on day twenty-four when you were supposed to have only two, having
no
pitfall foods on day twenty-five is a great way to make up for this.

This cycle of punishment actually makes things worse. One extreme type of food addiction is binge-eating disorder. When a binge eater has binged, the most clinically effective way to deal with the next meal or snack is to eat
as if the binge hadn’t happened
. That’s right: Even if a binge eater had 2,000 calories at four a.m., he or she will actually benefit from going ahead and eating a normal breakfast as opposed to skipping the next two meals to compensate for the binge. The same principle applies to all eaters. When you start punishing yourself by compensating, you are affirming a mantra of “I’m bad and need to be punished.” In the long run, this actually sets you up for failure and not success. Just keep following the plan day by day, no matter what you did the day before.

Q. What if I relapse after my 28-day Diet Rehab?

A.
You may find yourself sneaking three pitfall foods back into your diet, and the following month, you’re back up to four. Now that you know how food is addictive, you will realize that this puts you back in danger of needing more and more fatty and sugary food just to feel normal.

Relapse is especially common when you have something difficult or stressful in your life. Use the unexpected tragedies, obstacles, and transitions in your life as an opportunity to be even more diligent in getting what you need through booster foods and activities that will help you to take care of yourself. It’s normal to experience sadness and anxiety when going through difficult life incidents, and we all want to feel better when this happens. The only question is: Will you choose unhealthy self-medication through pitfall foods, or will you find healthier ways to take care of your feelings through booster foods and activities?

Don’t be hard on yourself. Just use every relapse as an opportunity that tells you there’s still something in your life you are not getting enough of. Perhaps the first time around you felt happier but you still weren’t getting the support you needed. Maybe the second time around you can decide to start psychotherapy, hire a trainer, or go to an Overeaters Anonymous meeting in addition to all of the other healthy rituals that are now a part of your life. If you’re still feeling out of control, then perhaps that feeling is telling you it’s time to consider an inpatient or an intensive outpatient program to treat your food and weight issues; you can go to
www.drmikedow.com
for referrals and my help line.

If Someone You Love Is a Food Addict . . .

Remember that food addicts get so much negative feedback already in the form of judgment and criticism from themselves and others. What they need is your love and support. The best way to display this is to model healthy behavior and nonverbally show your support by doing things like cooking a healthy meal or taking a walk with him or her. Don’t make them feel alienated by cooking a “special” meal for them unless they have asked for it. You will help the whole family by cooking with booster foods that are good for everyone’s health.
When talking to your loved one, move from “you” language to “I” language. So instead of “You really need to lose weight. Are you sure you want to eat that?” say, “I feel really worried about your health. I love you and want to support you. Is there anything I can do?”
Don’t enable a food addict by buying pitfall foods at the grocery store. But it’s not your responsibility to police them by watching over every bite either. Somewhere in the middle of enabling and policing is supporting, and that’s where you want to be to help a food addict. Remember, the decision to change must ultimately come from them.
Interventions aren’t just for drug addicts and alcoholics. If someone you love is a true food addict and you don’t know what else to do, a professionally moderated food intervention can be an effective way to promote healthy family communication and get the addict the help he or she needs. Go to
www.drmikedow.com
for more information about food interventions and referrals for inpatient and intensive outpatient programs for food addicts.

Booster Snacks and Meals

Trying to figure out how to incorporate booster foods into your diet? Here are some suggestions:

Keep Your Pitfalls Manageable

As you choose pitfall foods, be sure that you’re choosing manageable servings that won’t flood your brain with chemicals and restart your addictions. If there is something not on this list or if you’re not sure what one serving means, then remember that a pitfall food serving contains no more than about 300 calories.

Swaps and Switches

One of most exciting aspects of rehabbing your diet from the perpetual frustration of yo-yo dieting is the way Diet Rehab focuses on what you’re adding, not on what you’re taking away. You’re always going to like certain foods, such as pasta or orange juice. But with a few simple tweaks, you can get the taste you’re craving in a more healthy and sustainable way. As you follow this program, you will actually begin to prefer these booster foods over the pitfall foods they’re replacing! I know from my own personal experience. But don’t take my word for it. Experience it for yourself.