As many of you who regularly read these articles will know, I have two young sons called Oli and Jamie.
Since having them, I have become more and more aware of a thought process that is prevalent throughout our society that I believe is one of the route causes of many peoples difficulty in losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle.
It is the mentality of ‘the treat’.
The thought process that these unhealthy and fattening foodstuffs are somehow better then healthy food and are a reward.
That they are a treat.
They even teach this in my eldest’s school.
He is essentially being taught that certain foods are just things that you have to get through en route to the good stuff.
Now, I am no ‘food Nazi’ with my boys.
Whilst I would never choose to feed them certain things (anything processed really), I don’t lose too much sleep over them having certain things when I am not with them.
I can’t control everything that they eat and am not going to limit their lives and what they get up to (any more then I have to).
But I am trying to stear them away from this ‘treat’ thought process.
These things are just additional foods that you can eat and that I, personally, would only have occasionally as they are bad for you.
It’s because I see this thought process in many adults who are unhappy with their weight and health but struggling to get things under control.
They feel they ‘need’ or ‘deserve’ their ‘treats’.
This is, at least, in part, due to the way they were bought up thinking about these foods.
We try and get them to re-frame this thought process.
To see that this ‘treat’ is actually what is making them unhappy.
It’s not a treat really.
More of a punishment if anything.
And, we try to get them to see that something that is eaten that frequently can not be a treat – it’s just part of their staple diet.
We work on getting people to see things that really will make them happy as being ‘treats’.
Only they now what that is.
For me, I treat myself to a sauna or jacuzzi, or to a back massage, or to a new book – if I feel I deserve a treat, that is.
For my boys, a treat is going to see their cousins, or extra time in the playground, a trip to the soft play centre, etc.
So, next time you feel like a ‘treat’ – ask yourself if what you’re thinking of is really a treat.
Or if it is really more of a punishment.
I’m not saying you can’t have these things, but try reframing what you consider a treat and see how that helps you lose weight, improve your health, etc.
