Why You Obsess About Food You’ve Banned

Whenever I’m discussing this subject with my coaching clients, I demonstrate how our mind works by requesting that they “Do not, Do NOT, Don’t think of a blue elephant”.  And, of course, everyone immediately thinks of a blue elephant.  Although some people try to change it afterwards, the initial immediate picture is that of a blue elephant!

So, what does this have to do with your health?

Exchange the words blue elephant to “chocolate”, “pizza”, “glass of wine” etc etc, and you’ll see where I’m coming from. 

As soon as you ban a food from your diet, it is likely to become an obsession.  Does that chocolate in the fridge seem to be calling you?  Do you see adverts, pictures, get leaflets on the doormat for pizzas as soon as you’ve told yourself they are off limits?

Basically, the mind hears the words that you are mentioning.  In these cases, blue elephant, chocolate, pizza, wine etc.  It doesn’t hear the word “don’t” when making the pictures in your mind. 

Many people will say “if I want to lose weight, I’m never going to be able to have anything really nice again”, “I can no longer have my favourite foods”.  As soon as the word diet comes to mind, it brings about the emotion of missing out on all our favourite things, and instantly manifesting pictures to the mind of the biscuits, pies, cakes etc.  Our minds are clever like that!!

Therefore, what would be better is to not think of them too often, by not reminding ourselves of them at every opportunity.  So therefore, no food is off limits.  No food is banned.  Then you reduce the obsession with them.

Obviously, if you’re improving your health, you’ll probably not want to eat them all the time – but it becomes a choice, rather than an obsession.  As with the other techniques we discuss at SmallerKnickers, you have them when it’s right for you and under you conscious control.

Find out how the SmallerKnickers Workshops could support you with your health plans.