Have you tried diets that left you feeling worse than before because they were restrictive? Did you feel like a failure because you just had to give in to your cravings? Did you give up because you had already failed?
Diets don’t always work because you have to avoid so many foods, which creates a huge amount of stress and anxiety. Then if you give in to your cravings, you feel so guilty, and you feel like a failure because you could not follow the simple rules of the diet.
If this sounds like you, then you are in the right place.
Diets Don’t Work for Most People
Diets don’t work for most people because they focus on the negatives and what you have to eliminate instead of focusing on the positives and all the yummy foods you can enjoy!
Wouldn’t it be nice to get away from the diet mindset completely? Well, imagine for a second, you no longer have to avoid certain foods while still feeling healthy.
Healthy eating is a mindset change that happens over time. Crowding out the bad foods with good foods is one way to make this mindset change.
What is “crowding out”?
“Crowding out” is a term used at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is the adding in of more healthy foods so you have less room for junk food.
Adding healthier options before the unhealthy option you are trying to eliminate leaves less room for the unhealthy option.
Over time, these healthier options are what you start to crave instead. Plus, you don’t have to feel guilty if you have that piece of cake (just eat some veggies or fruit first).
The benefits of “crowding out”.
There are several benefits of crowding out:
- Easy portion control – When you add in the healthier options, it leaves less room for other foods, making it easier to either say no to the unhealthy option or have a smaller portion.
- It gives you self-confidence – since there are no rules to follow, you no longer have to feel like a failure because you didn’t stick to the restrictive diet.
- You are in control – it is your choice and not what someone else told you to eat or not eat.
- Creates a lifestyle of eating healthy – it is easier to maintain in the long run because you don’t have to give up the foods you crave.
Bonus Benefit: over time your palette will begin to change and you will begin to crave the healthier foods
How to start “crowding out”.
Implementing crowding out is easy to implement in 4 steps:
- Determine one of the eating habits you would like to change. Make sure it is something you truly want to change. For example, if you don’t want to give up your coffee, don’t start with this habit, as it will be tough if it’s not something you actually want to do.
- Brainstorm some ideas or options which are a healthier choice.
- Pick one of these to include in your daily routine or when you struggle with the unhealthy option.
- Include the new food/habit before the one you want to change.
Note: don’t make too many changes at once. Try 1-3 small changes you can make.
Examples of “crowding out”.
Crowding out can be used to make it easier to switch to healthier options. In my own life, I have used this method many times. Below are some of my real-life examples.
Giving Up My Morning Coffee
Getting up in the morning can be a struggle, especially when you have little ones. For many years I would wake up and drag myself to get my cup of coffee with sugar and creamer. Then I made a choice (yes, crazy as it seems) to cut this out of my mourning routine. So, I challenged myself to drink a cup of water before I had my coffee. Then I removed the sugar and creamer, and over time I have switched to an herbal tea instead of coffee, but I still have my water first.
Give Me My Meat & Potatoes
Growing up in the Midwest, I have always been a meat & potatoes kind of girl, so adding more veggies to my plate has been difficult. One thing I do is to adjust the portion sizes on my plate so that I visually have more veggies than other foods. However, it was still sometimes difficult to actually choke them down. Remember it’s not enough to add more veggies to your plate, but you also have to eat them. (Stay tuned for more ways to eat veggies and actually enjoy them).
My Struggle with Reducing Sweets
I have a major sweet tooth and often crave something sweet after a meal (or really any time of the day). This is one that I still struggle with, but I try to make healthy options first. I have helped my sweet tooth by having a small piece of fruit after my meal. This helps to eliminate the craving so that I am not reaching for a dessert. However, if the craving is still there, I may have a small piece of dessert after my fruit.
Implementing “crowding out” in other areas of your life.
Although we have discussed how to use the crowding out method regarding foods, you can apply it to other areas of your life. Just be sure you complete the 4 steps above, including the brainstorming session, to determine the best method that would work for you.
- Stress or boredom eating – practice a few breathing exercises and ask yourself if you are truly hungry.
- Working out – get your workout in first thing in the morning or before going out for dinner so afterward you don’t just makeup excuses
- Saving money – after you are paid, put money in your savings account before you spend it on anything else.
The list can goes on & on.
There are many benefits to using the crowing out method to start a healthier lifestyle. It’s easy to start implementing crowding out into your life right now with the four easy steps:
- Determine a habit you would like to change.
- Brainstorm some ideas.
- Pick one of these options to try.
- Include the new food/habit before the one you are wanting to change.
Crowding out isn’t just about the foods we eat but can also extend into other areas of your life as well. In the end, the method is really about you making better choices without feeling overwhelmed or stressed out by the changes you are making.
If you need help with support or accountability, feel free to contact me for a free consultation at sarah@sarahrauwellness.com.
How will you implement this method in your life? Comment below or send me an email at sarah@sarahrauwellness.com. I personally read all of my emails, so don’t be shy. I would love to hear from you.
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One Response
Using veggies, and whole grains instead of pasta. Roasting potatoes with a green veggie instead of butter and cream filled mashed potatoes…
Putting $100 up before I do anything else with our monies.