If you’re one of those people who sometimes forgets to eat, or can take a few bites of something and then claim you’re full… I don’t understand you. I don’t think you’re human.
I’ve been a high-volume eater my entire life. My 12-year-old, 240-pound self could attest to that.
Trying to retrain how I think about food and how I eat has been just as challenging—if not more—than running a two-location, 14-employee, 1,000-member business.
I have a theory about myself: at some point each day, whatever the best-tasting, most-available food is in my house, I will eat in excess.
For me, this usually happens at night—when I’m winding down after dinner, maybe planning the next day or adding things to my calendar. Eventually, I end up in the kitchen, ready to eat a lot.
The question is: what’s the best-tasting, most-available food at that moment?
Sometimes it’s a high-calorie danger food—cookies or cake. If it’s there, I’ll eat it until I decide to throw it out.
Other times, it’s something like granola. I don’t even like granola that much—if I were at a bakery, I wouldn’t look twice. But if it’s in my house, I’ll still choose it over healthier options and eat way more than I intend to.
And then there’s the ideal scenario: no cookies, no cake, no granola—just strawberries or blueberries.
If all three were in my house at the same time, I wouldn’t even glance at the strawberries or blueberries. But if the berries are the best-tasting thing available, I’ll eat them—plenty of them—and my calories will still be far lower.
When I’m eating the berries, I’m not wishing for cake. I’m simply eating what’s there. The same way, if cake is in the house, I’m not thinking about berries.
My mental note: convince my fiancée that when she goes grocery shopping, the strawberries and blueberries need to be the most satisfying food in the house.
When that’s the case, I still eat plenty, I’m still satisfied, and my calorie intake stays in check—which means I get leaner.
When tempting, high-calorie foods are in the house, I still eat plenty—but my calories are higher, and I don’t get leaner.
Moral of the story:
Create an environment where the best available option is the one that moves you closer to your goal.
Or as I like to say: If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it.
And if you do buy it… don’t be surprised when it disappears.
– James Pratt