Are You A Procrastin-EATER?!

HELLO!! HAPPY Labor Day :D
How are you doing?! Are you having a great end-of-summer holiday weekend?! This Labor Day, I'm kicking back, relaxing, and enjoying the day with my family! I'm also keeping in mind why we observe Labor Day and reflecting on the value of hard work!! I hope today is an enjoyable holiday for you and your family :)

Today's post is on Procrastin-eating! When we're tense, quite often, our bodies think we need food!!
The following article is by Jessica Migala. Keep reading to spot the problem and learn a slimmer way to get it all done! Bring it on!!

Procrastin-eating often starts with a little voice in your head. It might say: "I could use a wee snack to boost my energy before I tackle this. A few bites of ice cream and I'll be raring to go..."
Whether the thing you're putting off is doing your taxes or scrubbing the bathtub, your mind has a preferred way of avoiding the unpleasant, says Piers Steel, Ph.D., a researcher who has analyzed hundreds of studies on procrastination and written a book called The Procrastination Equation. You could be the type who trolls Facebook or watches cat videos, but some of us hear Mr. Cheese Puff calling our name. And wouldn't it be rude to ignore him? "When you're snacking to delay a chore or project, you're procrastin-eating," says Steel.
The reason you may end up having half a bag instead of just a few? Shoring up the motivation to tackle a project wrings your mental energy dry, reducing willpower and inhibitions. The result: "The emotional, reward driven part of your brain demands, say, chocolate--and you've got no power to control it," explains Brendan Kelley, M.D., a behavioral neurologist at Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center.
"Any time there's an opportunity to motivate you to eat, your brain will take that opportunity," adds Drew Ramsey, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. "When you perceive something as stressful, your brain yells Better fuel up! so that it feels more prepared to tackle the challenge."
Procrastin-eaters would have less to worry about if they tended to dig into a bowl of spinach, but "refined carbohydrates and sugar--foods that quickly spike blood glucose to boost cognitive performance--are the more common go-tos," says Ramsey. If you crave sweets and processed fare like chips at 3 p.m., it means your mind is looking for a jump start to let you plow through your duties.

When reaching for a snack becomes a knee-jerk reaction, you can tell it's an ingrained habit. This happens because every time you do something pleasurable, reward centers in your brain release a surge of dopamine. Your brain loves dopamine, so it pushes you to repeat feel-good activities over and over. Snacking before doing becomes routine, and now you can't get anything accomplished without hitting the fridge or vending machine first. The inevitable result: Weight gain.
So what's a procrastin-eater to do? Happily, "it's possible to rewire your brain to change your habits," says Kelley. Do that with small, incremental, and still rewarding changes. For example, if you're a chips girl, measure out a single serving; down the road, try trading chips for another crunchy snack, like carrots and hummus, until your snack craving has diminished. Also, make your to-do's more fun, or at the very least more bearable--for example, put on music while you clean, or take a report you need to read outside to the park. And save getting a bite of something for after you're done with the task. In a calmer state, with the job behind you, you're likely to make smarter choices, says Kelley.

For those times when only a snack will get you going, or you're authentically hungry and need to refuel, reach for 1 of the following always-smart picks :D

1. In-Shell Pistachios
Shells slow you down. 1 study showed that whole-pistachio eaters consumed 41% fewer calories than people eating the shelled kind. A 159-calorie serving is 49 pistachios! GO NUTS!!

2. Melon Cubes
Watermelon or cantaloupe will nip sweet cravings and give you a hydration boost, which improves concentration!

3. Air-Popped Popcorn
Carbs send a surge of happy-making neurotransmitter serotonin to your brain, which will help you relax when you're anxious about an upcoming task. Munch away: 3 cups have fewer than 100 calories! Wooo Whooo!!

4. Bubbly Spritzer
Pure hydration with bubbles, seltzer fills you up. Pour a glass, add a splash of juice (like cranberry or orange), and top it off with a twist of lemon :)
 
5. Crudites
Veggies like bell pepper, jicama sticks, and snap peas supply a satisfying crunch. Dip in salsa for low-calorie flavor!

Sooo...after reading this, are you a Procrastin-EATER?! If so, I hope this article was a good read and you now have a better idea how to get it all done...a slimmer and more FIT way :D
Have an AWESOME day!
SEE YOU right back here on Wednesday!!