You Eat What You Think, So Catch Those Thoughts!v

Pritikin’s nutritionists are top notch. They’ll teach you the real facts about nutrition, and you won’t get taken in by labels, fad diets, and the opinions of well-meaning but misinformed friends. We give you a lot of information, which each of you processes differently, given your motivation, emotions, and attitudes.

You’ll learn what to do, but it’s also important to know what you think because our thoughts shape our world view and our waistlines!

I strongly advocate for everyone to design a written program. If you write it, it’s real, and you know what you need to do and when to do it (e.g. “I’m going to have a snack before the dinner party, and I’m going to focus on the company, not the hors d’oeuvres”).

But sometimes (and, unfortunately, for some, too often) you don’t pay attention to what you know about diet because you’re engaged in a fascinating discussion with someone at the dinner! As you wait to make your point, you slice some brie with gusto, and wash it down with a nice gulp of your second Chardonnay. You’ve happily and elegantly made your point, but you’ve eaten fat, sugar, and salt because you were thinking about the words coming out of your mouth (your thoughts) and not the food going in to your mouth (your actions).

This column is a plea to be conscious. Taking care of our health is simple when we eat the healthy foods Pritikin teaches us to enjoy and when we are aware of and monitor our “eating thinking.”

To enhance your success, remember:

1. Eat consciously and mindfully.
2. Make decisions about food before you’re in a challenging situation, knowing you’ve been tempted in the past.
3. Monitor your thoughts. Don’t let the social, professional, and family interactions take precedence over your newly forming habits. You want to be healthy so you’re in top form to enjoy all areas of your life.
4. Just knowing what to do isn’t the same as doing it. Knowledge may be power, but identifying and controlling our thoughts about and awareness of what we eat is equally important to successful lifestyle change.
5. If you’re having problems staying with the Pritikin Eating Plan, “catch those thoughts.” Are they self-defeating, hopeless, or rebellious?
6. If you don’t know what attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors are causing you to make poor choices, or “cheat” once too often, see a cognitive-behavioral therapist who can help you with motivation and identify thoughts that are weighing you down.

Think right, and eat right. An easy mind-body formula for healthy living.

Have a good week, and catch those thoughts,
Susan Grober