Why is unhealthy food so appealing?

[JoolieB1]

I have struggled to choose healthy food from a chubby child to a slightly overweight fifty something! I am a food fan from a juicy apple to a sweet chocolate bar. I know I have trained my brain to know what I need but it's hard to choose the right thing. Recently I lost over 2 stone and was almost at my goal weight but lately, I have slipped back into bad habits, any tips?

[Zest]

Hi JoolieB1 ,

I think you did really well to lose 2 stone recently, and good to hear you were nearly at your goal weight. I know you've mentioned slipping back to some bad habits, so I really hope you can hold onto things and achieve your goals.

Maybe have a look at the Healthy eating pages on NHS Choices - a link is here:

nhs.uk/livewell/healthy-eat...

The NHS 12 week plan is really good, so I'd suggest having a look at that, and if you'd like to have some support in the way of a weigh-in or other activities with like-minded people, then the NHS weight loss forum (also on Healthunlocked) is worth a look.

Maybe have a look at the 'topics' in this Healthy Eating forum, and see if anything is of interest to you.

Good luck, and wishing you a great week.

Zest

[Hidden]

It's a modern myth that unhealthy food is appealing. It's just that we have been conditioned (brainwashed) from an early age: e.g. admirable celebs holding fizzy drinks in your favourite films and TV programmes (highly paid adverts); well-meaning parents give you crisps and pizza and reward you with sweets; people you meet at parties would make you feel that smoking and drinking are cool; when you walk into a supermarket, you see aisles of junk with colourful packaging we are so used to ...

Basically, we now associate unhealthy food with good fuzzy feelings ... love, warmth and normality.

If you could manage to not eat those things, after a while you would be wondering how you could eat something so sickly sweet. Ask vegetarians if they want to eat meat now; ask non-smokers if they want a cig they would tell you ... ewweeeee.

Humans are creatures of habits, and old habits die hard. This is how modern problems have gradually become "pandemic". Then we are being conditioned to believe that we need pills and more pills. Few realise that the junk they consume have made them mentally and physically ill in the first place.

"Watch your actions, they become habits ... Watch your habits, they become ... your destiny."

Not here to preach "don't do this don't do that". People should choose their own destiny. If one is happy with the consequences, so be it (as long as they are not hurting anyone else). Just be aware of what you really want and decide for yourself.

[ohme]

Daily exercise play a huge role for health and weight loss , there is full of food everywhere, and sometimes you will be more concerned about them though you have tried to avoid them. In fact, you can reward yourself in a certain situation and then continue to work for the next goal. Hope it can help with you.