Image courtesy of @cheatdayeats
Scrolling through a feed full of mouthwatering images of food can be a great way to waste time and get inspiration for your next brunch spot or meal. It can also set off a chain reaction of cravings that can lead you to go astray on your weight loss journey. If you’re experiencing serious FOMO from all of the mouthwatering dishes on your social media feeds, check out these helpful tips to keep you and your waistline on track!
Remember: That’s Not Real Life
Those shots of a lavish stack of pancakes, overflowing with nutella, chocolate chips and whipped cream aren’t realistically what a person is eating everyday for breakfast. Your breakfast of oatmeal topped with blueberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon may pale in comparison to these grand images on your feed — but these images are not realistic. Katie Proctor, M.B.A., R.D.N., a healthy lifestyle and business coach at Elevate with Katie says, “I think the biggest thing is to not always accept what you see at face value or assume that someone’s social media profile is an actual (or realistic) food diary.” You may not even know if the person who posted the photo actually ate the food they’ve posted to their feed! Rebecca Rabel, owner of the Instagram account, i_actually_ate_that, has openly admitted that while she does eat the food on her account, this isn’t the kind of food that she eats on a regular basis.
Decode Your Response
Get to the bottom of why you’re having this response to the food. Are you feeling lured by the textures, colors and flavors? Are you emotionally or physically hungry? Perhaps what you’re really craving is an experience. If a photo of an ice cream cone taken in a far off destination has you salivating, it may be because you’re craving a similar experience of your own. If this is the case, why not start planning for your next vacation!
If you can’t shake your craving, nutrition counseling and communications specialist Kelli Shallal of Hungry Hobby says, “My advice would be to find a healthy recipe remake of whatever is calling your name! That’s what I do!” You might want to head out for frozen yogurt, topped with cacao nibs to satisfy your craving!
Tap Into Your Motivation
“Living in a technical age, it’s hard to avoid, but one of the biggest strategies to kick the food porn craving is to change your mentality. Think to yourself, do you really need that food? Is it really going to benefit you? Are you actually hungry? Or is that really your appetite talking? Often I tell clients to think to themselves [about] whether that specific food actually aligns with their health and nutrition goals,” says Dietitian Charlene Pors of Euphoria Nutrition.
Remember: food is fuel! Think about the foods that energize you and provide you with nutrition and multiple health benefits. Think about how good you feel when you’re providing your body with nutrients, meeting your goals and making good choices for your body!
Unplug!
Scrolling through social media when you’re hungry can send you down a downward spiral of food cravings — especially if you follow a lot of foodies. To avoid after dinner, late night cravings, Eliza Whetzel, R.D., at Middleberg Nutrition recommends making a cup of herbal tea, or sipping on lemon with water. She adds, “Shut down the kitchen (clean up, turn out all the lights, and mentally make it off limits), and choose only TV shows that don’t involve cooking.”
