I've been thinking a lot lately about the concept of "picking and choosing your nutrition battles," because perfect eating is an illusion. It's an illusion because a) the idea that there's even a "right away" that everyone should eat is shortsighted, considering individual differences in metabolism, psychology and personal preferences, and b) because strict dieting is unsustainable, bottom line. And when the inevitable feelings of deprivation set in, there's always going to be an equal compensatory binge.

 

Not to mention the fact that the more we hang onto the thought that perfect eating is something we can and should be able to do, the more miserable, defeated and discouraged we become when we inevitably can't do it. It makes us feel weak, undisciplined and disgusted with ourselves.

 

And call me crazy, but I don't think anyone has ever achieved positive change coming from a place of negative self-talk :)

 

So. What do we do instead?

 

I believe that we have to pick and choose our nutrition battles. And what I mean by that is finding the foods we can incorporate into our daily eating that help keep us satisfied and satiated so that we don't a) end up binging on more and worse stuff later, and b) can still maintain our physique.

 

 

I talk about these all the time. They are foods that are not necessarily "ideal" but they take the edge off enough that we don't feel the need to binge later. They are an overindulgence-precaution. We use them to preempt deprivation. My favs include bacon (or any breakfast meat), a couple slices of cheese, a few squares of dark chocolate, some avocado or guacamole with my meal, 1/2 a protein bar or some almond bread (or similar healthy "treat"), and yes, even sugar-free gum at times.

 

Gasp! "But Jill, sugar-free gum is poison!!!"

I remember a year or so ago, I posted on Facebook a pic of a new sugar-free gum flavor I picked up. One woman was so upset that I would condone chewing sugar-free gum that she cut and pasted the ingredients list from Extra onto the picture to show just how bad it was.

 

And I understand it. We hear this sentiment a lot from the health-conscious: It's made from "chemicals!!" It contain artificial sweeteners!! True. Is it "ideal?" Nope.

 

BUT.

 

But honestly, perspective. 

 

What if a piece or two of sugar-free gum could take the edge off enough to where we give ourselves the mental space and physical time to be able to make a better choice later? 

 

It does. Just like any other preemptive cheat.

 

Am I saying you should quit eating protein and veggies and start chewing gum like a champ? No way. And if you don't chew it now and are good to go, then I certainly don't want you to start now.

 

But. I wanted to bring this issue to our attention because this is an example of us allowing perfect to be the enemy of good. We forgo a piece of sugar free gum because it's "poisonous" only to polish off a bag of organic cookies later (!!!). Huh?

 

 

Is real food better than gum? Of course. Are the ingredients in gum "healthy?" Not really. But if we are talking about sustainable fat loss and breaking the deprive-then-binge cycle, then I feel as though there's a place for preemptive cheats--even ones that are not completely "natural" or "ideal." 

 

I know this might be a hard pill to swallow. I get that, completely.

 

And I also believe there is caution to be considered. I know many competitors and fitness models who are eating SF gum all day every day to stave off cravings and hunger. Literally PACKS a day. And when I was competing, I probably consumed a pack a day. And this is also not healthy. And when this is the case, it's more of a Band-Aid, offering us transient willpower to cover up the fact that we are starving and obsessively waiting 3 hours so that we can eat our fish and asparagus. 

 

No thanks! 

 

 

And using fear tactics and scaring people by saying a certain food will kill you only perpetuates our neuroses around food. We end up living and dying by "the rules." 

 

Moving forward, ask yourself, what if I gave up the rules and just ate what helped me stay satisfied right now, thereby preventing more and worse cheats later? THIS is the definition of a preemptive cheat. Eat something satiating right now, BEFORE you feel deprived. 

 

And a piece or two of sugar-free gum, while not "ideal" can, for some people, help with cravings in those critical moments--like after dinner or mid-afternoon. 

 

I'm not advocating chewing sugar-free as a healthy behavior, but I'm instead using it as an EXAMPLE of behaviors that can help when perfect eating is not possible (and 100% of the time, it is not). I'm bringing awareness to the fact that trying to be perfect with eating is myopic and throwing yourself a bone (or a piece of gum) in those critical moments can help boost long-term success.

 

Read my entire back & forth on sugar-free gum here.

 

That's it! I'd love to hear your thoughts on 'perfect eating' and how you navigate the ups and downs of hunger and cravings. Do preemptive cheats help or hurt your progress? Hit me up on the JillFit Facebook page!

 

I'll be writing more on this topic in the future :)

 

Ox, Jill