By Charlene M. Brown
What’s your comfort food? You know what I’m talking about—that ice cream or chocolate stash. Or maybe your comfort “food” is shopping. All of these are instantly gratifying, yes, but don’t address the core issue of why we feel we need to be “comforted” in the first place. Here’s a suggestion: why not incorporate your “need” for your comfort “food” into reaching your goals?
For instance, if losing weight is one of your goals: every time you are going crazy and about to reach for the Snickers bar in the back of your desk drawer, do 15 squats instead (and take the Snickers bar out of your drawer!); or when you are about to max out your credit card (again!), take a jog around the park instead. I call this the Substitution Method.
Or maybe your goal is to buy a house within the next 18 months. Every time the “need” for Chunky Monkey throws bananas at you, daring you to have some, look up another piece of information about your new house—maybe research closing costs or down payment info, or perhaps even realtors and the going mortgage rates in your area. Put these bits and pieces of info someplace all together, like a folder specifically for that purpose. Make a chart and give yourself gold stars every time you do one of these things. (No, seriously, do it!) Before you know it, you will have a folder full of information about your goal, a chart full of gold stars and the added benefit of skipping out on that less than healthy comfort food, whatever form it takes.
I am a chocolate woman myself. (Well, actually I’m kind of a medium brown 
) I have found that if I don’t keep any chocolate in the house, I have to REALLY want it bad enough to go out and get it. This works for me most of the time (but sometimes, I REALLY need it, so I go and get it—sometimes we all have chocolate emergencies, right?)
Another suggestion: for every candy bar or ice cream tub you purchase (if you have gone out and gotten it!), also purchase a fruit or vegetable at the same time. I call this the 1-for-1 Shopping Method. What this will do is create a surplus of fruits and veggies in your kitchen and maybe even in your tummy too! It will effectively give you alternatives to junk food.
Reaching our goals gives us something positive to think about. When we eat healthier, our bodies are appreciative and take this out on us by making us feel better more often. Do what it takes! Perhaps for some of us this means putting a little note on our refrigerator or even directly on that candy bar we have stashed next to the eggs. That note should be a reminder of the goal you are trying to accomplish or the action you decided to take instead. For instance, on the Reese’s I have stashed in fridge door, I can write a note that says, “Have you bought your house yet?”, or “Have you looked up closing costs?”
The benefit of the 1-for-1 shopping method can go one of several ways: either you end up eating a fruit or vegetable shortly after you eat the junk (and it is junk, no matter how good it tastes!), or you will end up with a freezer full of goodies that you eventually decide to eat. A third, less desirable outcome, is that you end up with a trash can full of uneaten, fruits and vegetables, and then, you have now effectively wasted perfectly good money!?
The key to both of these methods, substitution and 1-for-1 purchasing, is to find an alternative that you enjoy and are motivated to actually do. Try one or both of these methods for three weeks and let us know how they turn out. Don’t be surprised if after a few months of cultivating these healthy habits, you don’t even know what depression is anymore! Do You Love Your Life Now!? I Do!!
Medical Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of a variety of individuals and sources. The information on this website is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice, it is for informational and entertainment purposes only. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
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