Let’s say you’re getting ready for a big party. There’s going to be food, drink, and dancing. Lots of fun to be had, but you’re weak. You know there’s going to be a lot of food, and indulgence is a problem. Good first step. Acknowledge the weakness. Personalized dieting tips might help over the long-term, but the immediate problem is how to control yourself. What you need is a way to assure yourself that you won’t eat a bunch of junk food while you’re there. What to do, what to do? The it comes to you. Your anti-eating face mask!
Yes, indeed. Apparently back in 1980, a woman in California developed this idea, and actually secured a patent under U.S. patent number 4344424. Surprisingly enough, the patent seems to have expired. But it is actually called (in the patent) an anti-eating face mask. Looks to me like something I’d expect to see on Hannibal Lecter. I particularly enjoy the little lock shown at the temple. Kind of like a chastity belt for eating. Come on! Who in their right mind would dream up something like this? It reminds me of something I’d expect to see in a medieval torture chamber.
How To Handle Food Indulgence
Start by admitting that you tend to indulge in food. I know I do. It’s a systemic problem in our society. Besides that, it tastes good for a reason. That of course, doesn’t help you (or me) when faced with a situation that we know will provide the opportunity to “pig out.” My worst times are during business travel. Restaurant food is loaded with calories, and when you get a group of people together, big meals get longer. That just provides more opportunity to eat. So what’s a reasonable way to deal with the opportunity to indulge?
1. Create A Plan
The first step to avoiding the trap of food indulgence is to plan ahead. If its appropriate, eat before you go. If you’re going to be dining at a restaurant, check their website for low calorie dishes. The point here is that you should think about what you’ll be eating before walking out of the house. If you don’t, you will default to whatever the crowd does.
2. Avoid alcohol
Alcohol is loaded with empty calories. It contributes zero nutritional value. Beer, wine, hard liquor. Doesn’t matter. If you’re trying to watch your calories, don’t order alcohol.
3. When you’re done eating, eliminate the plate
How many times have you sat at a dinner table with a plate in front of you, talking? As long as that plate sits there, you will probably eat the leftovers as you chat. I’ve watched so many people, myself included, do this. Something about the link between human interaction and food almost forcibly wills us to snack if there’s food available. So, once you’re done, get it away.
4. Don’t “walk it off”
If you end up overindulging, don’t decided to “walk your meal off.” This seems to be a common past time as a way to help reduce the feeling of fullness. Everyone gets up and goes for a long walk, under the precept that a little exercise will burn off some of the food. It doesn’t work. The only thing this accomplishes is to draw blood away from the stomach, reducing the efficiency of digestion. If you overdo it, take your lumps by letting your body do its thing.
We’re all going to overdo it sometimes. The important thing is to try making that the exception, rather than the norm. Each of us also has a weakness. Mine’s birthday cake and ice cream. Right now I’m in the throes of birthday celebrations galore. Not good. What’s yours?
I want one of them masks!