Playing the Power Ball

Who has Your power when it comes to making Your food choices? Seems like a silly question! Maybe I should ask you who do you give your power to when you make your food choices? With the flux of television, radio and print ads that bombard us in every possible direction, I can’t help but question when I hear a new one come through the audio or visual streams, as to why some corporations would take such an angle with some of their public service announcements.

Ask yourself this, do you feel any way vulnerable, sensitive, or questioning yourself, and in particular, the food choices you make for yourself and/or your family, when you see a commercial or hear a radio advertisement? Are the words in the advertisement so powerful that someone makes you question, “yah, I should spend more time with my children and just order in today”, or “maybe the real reason I’m not losing weight is truly because I don’t have this supplement or weight loss product”? These are just a few different feelings, but what I want to highlight is the importance of not allowing others tactless, sometimes manipulative words to shift your own thinking and knowledge, and possible faith you have in yourself to the other side of doubt.

The “psychology” behind product placement in grocery stores, words being used in public service announcements, or even when you see a commercial on the television during the day, is interesting to learn about, and then master. Are those bags of chips staring at you when you’re in the check out line, when all you needed to do was pick up bananas on your way home from work, but are also starving that “they win” and you make the purchase?   Companies pay oodles of money to have those foods in those places, and they know why. I’m not at all suggesting you never eat foods like chips, cookies, or chocolate bars, but to simply be informed if you feel this is at all a challenge in your life! Having a bit of a plan, or knowledge behind how to fuel yourself at different times of day, and having a back-up plan may be useful to consider.

How about one of the new radio commercials which is approached from an angle of your “lack of time to spend with your children”? How do you feel? “Already don’t have enough time with your kids, make life simple by dialing us up and having your (insert fast food advertisement here) food delivered to you. It may make the working individual feel somewhat guilty about not having time with their kids, and in turn takes the company up on their offer to be able to spend time with their children….resulting in what?  A win on their end!  Don’t get me wrong, the more time we can spend with family the better, but at the cost of your health? And at the cost of not spending 15-20 minutes in the kitchen to prepare something simple? As for time with your kids, involve them, and you’ll see the quality time and memories you build, not to mention the skill you’ll instill in them.

These are simply thoughts I have, backed by the education and understanding of the food system, psychology and behavior. No one in the world is created the same, but if you ever feel yourself doubting your own knowledge, or ability to make wise food choices, I encourage you to sit down with someone like a dietitian or other nutrition professional to get to the root of the choices you DO want to make on a daily basis to support your best health! Creating a healthy relationship with food which includes being able to enjoy celebrations and all of the foods your body can tolerate is a wonderful thing to achieve once you’ve allowed yourself to understand why!