“Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.”
Are there healthier alternatives that provide the same comfort as a bag of chips, a bowl of ice cream, or a slew of tacos?
Comfort foods are awesome, until you step on a scale! / Photo by Doris Morgan on Unsplash
Rich, comfort food is readily available to us, and it has a long history of enticing us to indulge. One healthy alternative I find helpful is to take a time-out and do some deep breathing, stretching, or meditation. This can at least disrupt the automatic habit of reaching for comfort food.
“Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.”
The issue is short-term emotional change versus long-term health or weight loss. For many women, eating comfort food creates an immediate emotional change, whether it’s relaxation or relief from sadness or anxiety. On the other hand, ‘feeling thin’ takes a fair amount of time. To lose one pound, you need to eat 3,500 calories fewer than the number of calories it takes to maintain your current weight. Let’s say you require 2,000 calories per day to maintain your weight. If you ate 500 fewer calories per day, after seven days you would lose a pound (because 7 x 500 = 3,500). This is great — except you can easily consume more than 3,000 calories at one meal. So your question about retraining is key. For a start, try posting that very true saying on your refrigerator or pantry door.
“Are there healthier alternatives for snacks that will provide the same level of comfort as a bag a chips or a bowl of ice cream? And are there tricks for limiting how much you eat when giving in to a craving?”
Two thoughts: First, substituting healthier food is a good idea. If it’s the crunch that you like about chips, have crispy vegetables, such as carrots and peppers, instead. You can get to chips easily simply by opening a bag (so get rid of them!), and make the veggies just as accessible by cutting them up and keeping them ready in your refrigerator. As for ice cream, there are lower-calorie, lower-fat alternatives that come in portion-controlled packaging. But beware: Some women eat larger quantities of these foods in one sitting because they have fewer calories per serving -- and that defeats the purpose. Also, be mindful! It’s all too easy to eat comfort foods too quickly, which can lead to overeating. If you take the time to eat slowly and appreciate flavors and textures, you may find that you eat less.
My second thought: Try to move away from eating as your primary course of comfort. Reach out to friends and family, stretch or visualize yourself in a comforting situation. I’m a big believer in music, too: Identify the music that makes you feel happier, or more relaxed, or more energetic, and create a playlist for your iPod or keep your favorite CDs handy.
“With the holidays approaching, are there any ways to prepare for the seasonal depression that can provoke comfort eating?”
Seasonal depression is also an issue during this time of year and as the winter stretches on. Snow, ice, cloudy days can all cause gloom to set in. This can be especially problematic for people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of major depressive disorder defined by a recurring depressive episode that begins in late fall and continues until spring. SAD occurs more often in women than men and affects more people living in northern climates. Sadness, lethargy, a craving for carbohydrates, and sleeping more than usual are all symptoms. One of the best treatments for SAD is light therapy, which consists of exposure to a lightbox with specially designed fluorescent bulbs.
“I start to eat junk food in the afternoon to make myself feel better. I’ve read that the supplement 5-HTP can combat this. Is it okay to take 5-HTP if I’m also taking an antidepressant?”
I try not to recommend treatments unless they’re supported by evidence from controlled clinical trials, and the most recent scientific review of 5-HTP concluded that it has promise but hasn’t yet been proven to be effective. And it’s important to be aware that supplements aren’t fully regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and some contain more than one ingredient, so you need to read labels carefully. With respect to taking any supplement when you’re on an antidepressant, I suggest you check with your physician, but I don’t think it’s a good idea because of the possibility of taking in too much serotonin. Doing so can lead to serotonin syndrome, a dangerous condition that causes changes in mental status, blood pressure, and heart rate.
As for the afternoon slump — so common! Sometimes they’re caused by overeating at lunch, so be aware of what you consume at your midday meal. Carbs can make things worse: Sugary snacks certainly can help you feel good, but only briefly. You’re better off sipping a beverage and eating a small amount of protein: nuts, or peanut butter on a cracker. I have a colleague who swears by beef jerky — low in fat, high in protein. A walk in the fresh air can help even more sometimes.
Credit: Carol Landau, clinical professor of psychiatry and medicine at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School, is a co-author of The New Truth About Menopause: Straight Talk About Treatments and Choices from Two Leading Women Doctors.
