I took my car in for basic service the other day and a loaner car was given to me for a few days because a part needed to be ordered. They brought out the car and it was this massive monstrosity! I wasn’t sure I could drive it but I was certainly intrigued by its design, comfort and amenities. As I went throughout the days I enjoyed the luxury but a few other unexpected things happened.

I had to park only in certain spots to avert hitting other cars getting in-and-out of spaces, the car wouldn’t fit in my garage and some of the intricate navigation settings in my sight line ended up being more distracting than I was used to. It was so enormous that my son even joked about wanting to invite his friends and hang out in there…

So, was it fun? Did I enjoy the moment of driving it with all its features and luxuries? I sure did! However, it ended up just being too much car and something that would wear on me and my bank account every day if I entertained the thought of actually owning it.

How much excess do we need after the short term thrill is gone?

Foods that we eat, sometimes quick choices, sometimes when we’re not paying attention, feel pretty darn good going down! Maybe this is fine once in a while, but as we repeat the pattern of excess without thought or action to change, this excess maintains and raises inflammation levels in our bodies only leading to problems in the future. Every meal does have an impact!

So, how do you get out of the metaphorical rabbit hole of food and lifestyle choices that do not serve you well? Here are some options for you to try:

1 –  Physically. Move. Away.  Is after dinner snacking in front of the TV a challenge for you? Actually head to a different room! If you take a moment and pause and change the physical environment, you’ll likely notice you aren’t as hungry (this doesn’t work well by the way if you don’t fuel yourself as you should for dinner).

2 – Load your next meal with vegetables, even if that next meal is breakfast (1/4 – 3/4 of the plate), a lean protein and a healthy fat like avocado, hummus or nuts. This will automatically change your blood chemistry and brain chemical responses to set you up for even more good choices because you’ll feel better.

3 – Take a moment while you’re eating the ‘not so great for you’ food (yes, it means you’ll actually have to stop and acknowledge what you’re doing) and think, really walk into the thought, of how you felt the seemingly bazillion times you’ve done this before. Bloated? Crabby? Regretful? Tired? You won’t end up eating as much as you would have because a) – you’ll start to feel those negative feelings before you actually eat as much as you could have and b) – in pausing, you’ll allow for satiety hormones to kick in to help you stop.

Are you ready to climb out of the rabbit hole? Well, take my hand, push yourself up, dust yourself off and get started today!

In good health,