Many of you have read or are aware of the Laura Numeroff book “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”. Once the mouse tastes the cookie he will want a glass of milk, then he will need a napkin, and the story goes on and on until he needs another cookie and the cycle never ends.
Food cravings can bring about cyclic actions in much the same way. If I bake cookies, I am bound to lick the frosting off the beaters. Then I need to taste a fresh baked cookie. I will need a cup of coffee with a splash of French vanilla creamer and a dollop of whipped cream. Then I will need some chips and dip or cheese and crackers to balance out the sweetness. Pretty soon I will be back to licking frosting off the beaters and enjoying many sweet and salty treats.
So knowing this is the way extra pounds add up so quickly in just a few short weeks, what can we do to stop the cycle? Here are a few simple steps:
- Start the day with a healthy, protein-packed breakfast.
- Drink water throughout the day, especially when you think you are hungry. There are times when thirst masks itself as hunger.
- Plan your daily meals and snacks. Allowing a few small treats that show up unexpectedly to fit into your plan over the week.
- Have fresh vegetables and yogurt or hummus dips prepared for times when your stomach is rumbling.
- Display a colorful bowl of fresh fruit for sweet longings that will occur.
- Make desserts in smaller portion sizes or cut them in half.
- Be sure to eat a healthy snack (vegetables, fruit, or protein) before you go to a potluck or cookout, that way you won’t be starving when you get there.
A plan ahead is much more valuable than a regretful look back.
Author: Cheryl Barber Spires, SNAP Ed Program Specialist, Ohio State University Extension.
Reviewer: Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County.
