Food holds an incredible power over us. We need it to survive, and we need to refuel often and regularly. Our bodies can only use so much energy, and the rest is typically stored for later use, although our body prefers to use new energy to keep stored energy available in the event a new energy source in unavailable. For this reason, our brains are wired to acquire new sources of energy throughout the day. One of our most basic urges is to eat and drink. We can’t get eliminate this basic need, but we can decide what energy we fuel ourselves with.

When it comes to food I eat, I try to choose foods that were purchased whole, and natural. Meat, vegetables, and fruits. The fuel I put into my body is the best I can put into it. Afterall, we do become what we eat. I want to be the best I can be.

When dealing with our most basic need, it’s impossible to ignore the impulses. Hunger is one of the strongest (if not the strongest) feeling we have aside from fear. What a lot of people don’t realize, however, is that while we can’t get rid of hunger, you have the power to decide how you sate that feeling. The food you eat to make that feeling go away is completely within your power. If you’re craving something specific, it doesn’t matter.

I am a sugar addict. Much like others are addicted to drugs or alcohol, I feel like I’m a recovering sugar addict. It’s why I am so adamant about not cheating/sabotaging my lifestyle. It feels like a very slippery slope. In fact, while on vacation to Ireland and Scotland earlier this year, I allowed myself to eat anything and everything, which was great! But when I got home, it was very hard to get back to eating right. I had the cravings and false appetite for days afterward. It was miserable.

I eventually got over the cravings, but it once again reinforced to me how powerful sugar is, and how easily I can get addicted to it. It also reinforced to me the importance of sticking to my healthy lifestyle, with eating foods made from whole ingredients, and of sticking to/with food prep (and helping Sherry as much as I can when she makes our food).

Don’t let food run your life. Make food the fuel for your life. You decide what you do, when you do it. Don’t let food make those decisions for you. The more you practice restraint and control, the easier it gets. It never stops being a concern, but at least you gain control over your eating habits and can better control your hunger.