Thinking about pizza? Or donuts? Here's how to manage food obsession when dieting!

I have a scenario for you: you are standing in the kitchen. There is a box of pizza (or donuts) on the counter. Your partner/loved one/lifelong crush is standing next to the box naked. Which one do you notice first...? This is a 'test' known as the ‘pizza test’ (shared by Layne Norton in his 'Training the Physique Athlete Australian Seminar). This test indicates whether or not we are recovered from the negative impacts of a dieting phase. If we notice the pizza (or donuts) over the prospect of you-know-what, we are still food obsessed, our hormones are still off and our libido is down. Meaning, we are still psychologically and physiologically recovering from our diet. When we go through long-term dieting phases we can become food obsessed. As we drop body fat, and fall below our body’s set point (the weight, body fat and lean mass % our body likes to comfortably sit), we will experience a drop in leptin (satiety hormone), and an increase in ghrelin (hunger hormone). We will experience an increase in cravings, particularly for calorie dense, high-fat and high-carb foods. Foods such as pizza and donuts...

We can become completely fixated on the thought of food, when our next meal will be, the foods we will eat or want to eat, trying to make meals satisfying on low calories, spending hours cooking or prepping, or trying to restrict calorie dense foods to manage hunger with volume foods instead, which can become very boring.

So, how do we manage and (ideally) mitigate food-obsession? My top tips: Balance: flexibility with food will help manage food obsession as a balanced approach will mitigate restricted mentality. We only have a limited amount of willpower - cutting out foods we love will eventually lead to an all-or-nothing approach. 'I must eat it all now because I’ll be dieting/won’t be ‘allowed’ this food tomorrow'. Eat everything in moderation. Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness around meals and eating. We want to be aware of our NATURAL hunger signals - as our hunger vs satiety may be off when dieting. Eat slowly, chew foods thoroughly to allow for optimal digestion and for satiety signals to reach the brain, be aware of the feeling of a stretched stomach (which indicates to the hypothalamus that we are full). Ensure meals are as filling as they can be by including lean protein and high fibre foods, opt for volume foods, such as leafy greens and veg! Once we give our body the nutrients it needs - it is easier to have the food we want. Accountability: this will come via tracking, data collection and support. As our mentality and relationship with food can be negatively influenced when dieting, and for several months post-diet, we want to manage this with accountability! Tracking what we consume, both during the deficit and after the diet, is vital! It means we have a clear awareness of our daily intake and are more likely to mitigate unnecessary snacking or excessive calories. Similarly, we should track daily calories/macros and weight - taking the averages at the end of each week to ensure we are maintaining weight effectively and increasing calories effectively - weekly averages will take away the daily fluctuations and provide more accurate measures.

The diet after the diet is the real challenge! We are fighting our body's natural physiology and an almost unbearable desire to eat (to regain fat) and return to our set point. Having support is key. Reach out to those around you to help keep you on track with your goals, whether that is a coach, friend or partner. Have balance at social events, share meals out or treats you are craving to make it easier to fit these foods into your calorie goals. If you are struggling with food obsession, talk about this and share your struggle! Food obsession post-diet is temporary but challenging. Maintain balance, but focus on trying to live your life outside of food! Out of sight, out of mind! So, do not give in and fill your days with the wonderful, delicious, naughtiness that is food porn (scrolling through Instagram and looking at pictures of decadent foods you are craving). Distract yourself from food...with your naked partner or crush ;) You will be less likely to obsess about your next meal! in moderation!