A doctor has revealed a surprisingly simple method to help people stop snacking and eat healthier.
We all know how tough it can be to resist the urge to dive into a bag of potato chips or raid the cupboards for chocolate but Dr Rangan Chatterjee – a doctor for more than 20 years, bestselling author and podcast host – has revealed the easiest of way to stop yourself from snacking on unhealthy food.
Doctor explains one method trick to eat healthier
Dr Chatterjee shared the tip via his Instagram account where he has approaching one million followers.
In a video posted on March 12, which comes from an episode of his podcast – Feel Better, Live More – the physician explains that the best way to stop snacking is to “make your home a safe zone.”
“If you’re trying to avoid certain foods, do not bring them into the house,” he says. “In the 21st century, if you step outside your front door, you’re having to exercise willpower everywhere you go.”
“You want to fill up [on] petrol? You’ve got to walk past all the junk in the petrol station. You want to get a coffee? You walk past all the pain au chocolat, all the pastries, all the muffins,” he continues. “You go up to pay, the barista will then say to you, ‘Hey sir, would you like a pain au chocolat with that?’ You’re constantly being questioned and pushed.”
Dr Chatterjee is certainly correct about needing lots of willpower to avoid snacking as this writer is seriously contemplating heading to the kitchen to grab some food while writing this.
“Don’t use up your willpower in the house,” Dr Chatterjee adds. “You will come back one day tired, stressed out, underslept and you will crave something sweet.”
“This happened to me a few weeks ago. I was going around the country, talking about [my new] book, talking to people, trying to promote health,” he says. “I was exhausted, sitting there at home [thinking], ‘I really feel like something sweet.’”
“I open the cupboards, there’s nothing. There’s olives, there’s some nuts. ‘I don’t feel like nuts and olives at the moment,’” he jokes. “And you know what, after a little while, that craving goes.”
Social media reacts
Dr Chatterjee’s video has sparked quite a reaction from viewers on social media, with many commenting to offer their thoughts.
One Instagram user wrote: “Safe zone – love that! Creating the home as a safe space is everything.”
“Love this,” added a second. “When I crave certain sugary foods (in an excessive/addictive way) it’s typically because I’m suppressing something internally or avoiding feeling certain emotions.”
A third said: “On the one hand, it’s a blessing. On the other hand, I do enjoy satisfying my sweet tooth about once a week. I think it really boils down to finding your sweet spot (pun intended) and then cultivating the courage and discipline to honor it.”
“All of this! I actually find stepping out of the door and being surrounded by temptation especially hard with my children,” commented a fourth. “I feel like I’m constantly trying to divert their attention away from all of the temptation. I need even more willpower – not just for myself but for them!”
And finally, this commenter wrote: “So true. It’s important to practice strong willpower, yes, but we can also make it easier and also remove the distractions from our environment.”
