Add More Veggies

There are two basic approaches to change: love and fear. We can see the difference through the example of the desire many of us share of wanting to eat healthier.

We might go for the dramatic, do-or-die approach. In come the fear-based sticks for motivation from increased risk of heart attack to wanting to avoid how we feel judged in public for being heavier than we used to be. Fear is a powerful trigger and is effective in motivating short term behavior change.

First step: we make a list (written or in our head) of forbidden foods and make a VOW to not eat those. Perhaps a forever vow like “I will never eat chocolate again”. I’ve done that. Foods that contain the unhealthy trifecta of sweet/fat/salty generally make this list. Sweets like chocolate and ice cream top that list for many people. Some are more attracted to the salty side.

Next: we “succeed” for some period of time in avoiding these foods. We begin to feel and look better. We have more energy. Then life intervenes. We go on vacation or splurge at a holiday meal. Someone we love gets sick. A bully at work starts in on us. We have a “slip”, fall off the wagon and spiral into shame and self-loathing for breaking our vow. Or we obsess, feeling deprived not being able to eat foods on the “forbidden” list. We might even find ourselves rebelling against ourselves! “No one is going to tell ME what to do!”