Why It’s High Time You Stop Procrastin-eating (Now!)
Be honest. How often do find yourself munching on snacks these days when you should be focusing on work?
Chin up, we’ve all been there. Eating is comforting.
It can feel good to go to town on some munchies before we will ourselves to turn on focus mode. What started as a little incentive could become a full-blown unhealthy habit, though; this is a pattern that the Internet has aptly named procrastineating.
What’s wrong with a little snack?
Honestly? Nothing at all. A little snack once in a while that delays submitting your deliverables by a couple of minutes is no biggie.
The problem is that for most adults working full-time jobs, eating in moderation and exercising self-control is easier said than done. Procrastineating is not going to be a one-time thing.
This is especially true since the foods we generally consume while doing so contain salt, sugar, and fat: the big three of processed foods. Commercially prepared foods containing these ingredients can raise the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and reduce levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, which could result in cardiovascular concerns.
These servings of pick-me-ups that we relish are also highly addictive. Together, they work to hijack the pleasure centers of our brain to release dopamine, which offers emotional relief.
When we associate these foods with alleviating work stress, it becomes nothing short of a learned behavior to dive into a tub of ice-cream even as the cursor blinks across the wordless screen.
I know, yikes.
Consuming these empty calories— foods that offer no nutritional value — also produces instant gratification, which could zap the motivation we need to do anything requiring effort; if the odds of getting work done weren’t stacked enough.
These foods also increase our risk of developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
How do I power through?
Before we answer this question for ourselves, we must keep in mind that strong negative emotions such as dissatisfaction and resentment cannot be counted as acceptable compromises. Our brains would still expect to get their due of indulgence, and going cold turkey is not sustainable in the long-term.
The middle ground here is to engage in healthy substitution and maintain consistency for a defined period of time to give our taste buds room to still enjoy similar texture and flavor, but also acclimate to nourishment.
Wholesome is the way to go.
🎯 Switch empty calorie foods with better alternatives: fruits, nuts, yogurt, and fresh juices can all satisfy our craving to get some fuel in the system. We may also be mindful about grabbing a no-added sugar cereal instead of the sweetened kinds, homemade smoothies instead of a local chain’s milkshakes, and sipping plain water instead of sugary sodas and soft drinks.
Making these swaps takes some getting used to at first, but our taste buds could adapt sooner than we think.
Give these suggestions a whirl:
🔁 Swap a croissant with PB&J
🔁 Swap a glass of OJ with an actual orange
🔁 Swap honey crunch cereal with no-added-sugar muesli
🔁 Swap tinned soup with home-made chicken/vegetable soup
🔁 Swap deep-fried banana chips with air-fried apple chips
🎯 Use chaining — the concept of stacking one habit after the next — to pair, say, enjoying orange slices with finding the energy to get the ball rolling.
This could, after some mindful repetition, become as automatic as making a cup of joe after brushing. This would be just what your doctor (and boss) ordered.
You might consider keeping track of the instances you were successfully able to use this technique with a weekly checklist, which could also allow you to identify the role of other variables, such as the people around you and your environment.
🎯 Maintain a routine. Taking meals on time sounds like a no-brainer, but it can be easy to skip them when we have a “just five more minutes” attitude. The sensation of feeling full could dissuade our hands from opening the fridge door. A satiated belly could very well lead to a satiated mind.
The same goes for consciously planning our productive hours to get the show on the road without a hitch. Implementing SMART goals to ensure that our routine is sustainable could be quite effective.
🎯 Switch it up. We can do some trial and error on any action that effectively breaks the impulse to grab a snack when stressed.
✨ A soothing playlist could take the edge off the anxiety of impending pressure.
✨ A short visualization exercise in which we imagine completing our goals and feeling great afterwards could be motivating.
✨ A five-minute workout could act as a different source of dopamine and get us into a ready state.
✨A brisk walk amid nature and fresh air could be enough to do the trick.
✨ A hot shower could help us feel refreshed and ready to take on the deadline.
🎯Remember that engagement is key. The most direct approach to maintain this is by taking advantage of foresight, ideally placing reminders in our general space that prime us to do what works for us.
This could be akin to a GPS that helps us navigate better to the destination of our choice with sensory cues.
A pair of headphones, for instance, could take the place of the bag of chips perched on our shelf. This way, we wire ourselves to note that we don’t need food to experience a burst of pleasure.
The more organized and orderly our spaces are, the more likely we are to listen to our gut instinct rather than merely our gut.
What if I need something more?
Coaching can also be highly fruitful when it comes to addressing procrastineating, especially when there are other factors at play.
Rekha, one of our clients at TNV Method, was able to beat her sugar cravings by first unburdening herself of internalized shame, which she had acquired through years of body shaming.
She basked in the warm and supportive cocoon offered by her coaches, nurtured with a new purpose to become a better version of herself. Little by little, under their attentive eye, she stopped punishing herself for her guilt. They guided her towards seeing her eating habits as an ally, leading the charge to manage her expectations and cheering her back on track when she fell behind.
Armed with their personalized meal-up plans and a whole new approach to foods, she now pumps herself up with her own recipes and looks good while doing it.
All in a day’s work.
More than ever, our brains need us to take the reins to cope when autopilot is not an option. We can build this resolve by first acknowledging that we can do better, and willing ourselves to act like the person we wish to become.
The TNV Method offers tailored fitness coaching that fits your busy lifestyle, combining custom workouts, personalized nutrition plans, and supplement advice. Our program includes mindset coaching through expert videos and psychologist-led sessions. We track your progress meticulously, ensuring sustainable fat-loss and gradual, long-term results. With endless adjustments based on initial assessments, we guide you to a healthier lifestyle seamlessly integrated into your routine.
