Mind over Craving

At his office in Boca Raton, Florida Board certified bariatric surgeon, Dr. Kahlil Shillingford, helps patients gain the tools to succeed in their struggle with obesity. Each patient is unique and the reasons for their obesity are complex and as diverse as they are. Since opening up his own practice, nearly a decade ago, Dr. Shillingford has been treating obesity, and its related co-morbidities in the South Florida Community. His practice overseas the care of patients from every corner of the state including Orlando, Daytona, Tampa, Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and beyond.

Although various things can be factored into why a person is unable to lose weight and keep it off long term, willpower is one of the biggest. A certain amount of willpower is required to 1. Recognize the disease, 2. Seek help, and 3. Make long-term commitments to health. The consumption of immediate satisfaction, unhealthy foods, and large portions is also usually attributed to a difficulty standing up to the messages of the brain. Here we present a few techniques to fight day to day cravings for your best health.

Postpone it

Research shows that waiting to indulge leads to less impulsive binging as you choose to eat in a more reflective ready-to-savor mind-set. Next time you are struggling against a craving, occupy yourself with something else, like exercise or a project you’ve been meaning to work on.

Verbalize your feelings

Emotional eating does more harm than good. Once the joy of indulgence wears off, the feeling that lead you to make a bad choice still lingers. A good strategy is to type up what is bothering you in a blank e-mail addressed to no-one, read it, and delete it, virtually throwing your troubles away.

Enjoy mindfully

No one should ever miss out on his or her own birthday cake. If a special occasion merits a small indulgence it should be enjoyed fully. Try taking a few bite and focus on each one. Not only will you feel satisfied, but also you’ll avoid that awful food-coma feeling.

Order vs. Suggestion

Picking up on the cues your body is sending you means telling the difference between hungers and craving. Your stomach rumbling is an order for food while a craving your mind elaborates is a suggestion. Ask yourself if you are actually hungry before eating. A fail-proof distinction between a craving and hunger is that you will want to eat a particular food, instead of to just eat something.

Eliminate the Reward Mentality

A streak of healthy choices is not an invitation to indulge. If you have been taking care of yourself and feeling well you should strive keep it that way. Before reaching out for a sugary treat and viewing this and other unhealthy foods as a “reward” consider how it might make you feel afterwards.

- Dr. Kahlil Shillingford is a board certified surgeon who specializes in bariatric or weight loss surgery including the Sleeve Gastrectomy (Gastric Sleeve), Gastric Bypass, and Lap-Band procedures. His patients come from across the state of Florida including, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Miami, and the Tampa Bay. To learn more about Dr. Shillingford’s integrative weight loss surgeries and all-inclusive fees please call his office in Boca Raton, Florida at (561) 483-8840.