November 19, 2015

WAZE, Outsmart Food, Together

Susan Dopart Clean Eating, Eating Disorders, Fad Diets, Great Idea!, Mindful Eating, Motivation, Overeating, RD Intern, Rethink This!, The Brain and Eating, The Brain and Food, Weight Management, Wellness Blog

Wouldn’t life be that much easier if we had an app that helped with making food decisions – like a WAZE food app?

Not only could you avoid traffic on your way to work but also rush hour in the kitchen.

Police reported ahead: the all you can eat buffet.

In reality you’ve heard on the app “police reported ahead” which reminds you to drive safely and obey the speed limit to avoid getting a ticket. So ultimately there is nothing to worry when you pass the policeman.

So why is the all you can eat buffet any different?

The initial thought of the buffet might be overwhelming, so what strategies can you use to be successful before you get “pulled over,” or end up needing to unbutton your pants?

Make sure you are hydrated beforehand since dehydration can be disguised as hunger
Have a high protein snack at least 2 hour prior so you won’t be ravenous on arrival
Look up the online menu beforehand to see if you can order off the menu and/or choose what you going to have from the buffet

Turn left in 500 ft. When you miss the turn, Waze reroutes you and recalculates the route to bring you back on track, in the right direction.

What do you do if you end up overeating or choosing the wrong combination of foods?

Sometimes in life we have to miss the turn in order to appreciate the destination.

If you have a craving for ice-cream and end up eating the whole pint versus your 2 scoops you might end up with a stomach-ache, bloating or something worse. Does the equivalent of feeling awful help you listen to you body next time or do you continue driving your spoon in the wrong direction, and eventually end up in a crash?

Can we learn from our mistakes and get back on the road or do we keep driving aimlessly when we miss a turn?

Think about it. What if you were traveling to Disney World in Florida, took the wrong turn, and realized you were headed towards Alabama without turning around. Most of us would probably not do that.

Why is our health any different?

We acknowledge our mistakes and turn around because we went the wrong way and that’s OK. If you mess up acknowledge it, learn from your mistakes and get back on the road.

You have arrived at the your final Destination. This is health, happiness, and ultimately a lifestyle approach.

Although the WAZE app gives us the technology to get to work quickly and conveniently, a healthy lifestyle take time and is an ongoing process. You might have to learn to sit in traffic since there is no diet quick fix.

The beauty of a lifestyle is that the destination is ongoing, and your internal GPS leads to you to a life of health and happiness.

This blog was co-written by Susan Dopart and RD intern Elizabeth Wluka