Procrasti-snacking
Confession... I am a *recovering* procrasti-snacker.
Yep, it’s true. I struggle with the urge to stuff my face with food as a way to avoid doing the tasks I know I need to be doing instead.
Anyone else? 🙋🏼♀️
What I want you to know is that procrasti-snacking, which is essentially just another form of emotional eating, is NORMAL. If we can better understand the way our brains function and work for and against us, we can become more compassionate about our urges and mindful of our choices moving forward.
Now, I’m no neuroscientist, but let’s talk about two parts of our brain - our frontal lobe (our rational, conscious thinking brain) and our hindbrain (our primal, habit brain). Our primal brains are hardwired to avoid discomfort (which sometimes looks like unpleasant emotions such as sadness, anxiety, stress, boredom, etc.) and seek pleasure (the instant gratification and dopamine release we get from things like food, drugs, sex, alcohol, social media, etc.). Think about it as our caveman brain, except rather than running away from the dangers of sabertooth tigers, it is running away from the dangers of emotions and feelings. The good news is we also have our rational brains to help process our emotions without buffering away from them. The rational, conscious brain can intentionally override primal instincts to make decisions that align with our long term goals instead.
Watch the video below to see what that looks for me in real-time.
Earlier in the week, I made Brent mini pecan pies. I planned to eat one the day I made them, and not to brag or anything, but they were AMAZING. Most people wouldn’t consider pecan pie a particularly “healthy” food choice, but as you probably know by now, I am of the belief that there are no “bad” foods, just choices. As long as we intentionally plan for them in balance and moderation, we can enjoy whatever foods we please.
The next day, I was working on my digital course (coming soon!), and I found myself at my refrigerator reaching for a mini pecan pie. I’ve noticed this tends to happen when I’m tired of working and avoiding the tasks I know I should be doing. I procrasti-snack as a way to buffer away from the discomfort of hard work! Once my brain is feeling fatigued, it craves instant gratification and a hit of dopamine. It just so happens that my drug of choice is food, hence why I end up at the refrigerator or pantry to get my “fix.”
Rather than allowing my primal brain to run on autopilot, I’ve learned to pause and become curious about my cravings. It helps me to take a moment and ask myself a couple of questions.
First question... Am I hungry?
If the answer is no, it’s clear I’m buffering away from something. I then take a moment to ask myself what it is I’m avoiding. Food likely won’t solve my discomfort, it just provides temporary relief, so I give myself a minute to process whatever it is I’m feeling. I’ll then grab a glass of water or go for a walk before getting back to work.
If the answer is yes, then great! I know It’s okay to eat when I am truly hungry. I will refer to my Weekly Plan (grab your free template here) to see what snack I intentionally planned for. I’ll honor my decision, grab a snack, and get back to work.
Next question… What’s more important, temporary relief or long term goals?
I consciously weigh the instant gratification of the food I didn’t plan for against honoring the commitments I made to myself to get one step closer to the goals I’m reaching for.
Notice the way your brain might self-sabotage and jump to justifications for the instant gratification. “You’ve been working so hard, you deserve this, you had a tough workout this morning, it’s been a stressful day, it’s only one mini pecan pie…” By asking this question, you are reminding yourself what it is you’re reaching for, rooting yourself in your compelling why, and focusing on the long term goals that are likely far more important to you than instant relief in the moment.
I didn’t eat the pecan pie, not because I can’t have pecan pie, not because there is anything wrong with pecan pie, not because I can’t eat pecan pie and be healthy. I didn’t eat it because I didn’t PLAN for it.
Use your conscious brain to say to your primal brain, “I see you, I hear you, I notice you, but I know what’s best for me today, and I am going to make an empowered choice to honor my commitments. I can have pecan pie tomorrow when I intentionally plan for it.”
This is just one way I practice awareness and intentionality when it comes to making conscious choices for myself. While we’re all human and we all make mistakes, let’s commit to continuing this practice of being compassionately curious about our tendencies and making choices that honor our bodies and future selves.
Will we get it perfect every time? Nope. Is it worth the effort anyhow? You bet. Progress, not perfection! Always.
Cheering for you!
