Trying to eat a more nutritious diet or reducing calories to lose weight, drop fat and get in shape is a hard enough task as it is. Cravings, hunger, boredom…..all of which can be prevented with a good nutritional plan (I’ve talked about this HERE)
However there is one thing trying to make this as difficult as possible for you, one place where you eating a better diet, or less of the same stuff as normal might have an impact on THEM
That place is your local supermarket! It’s the job of the supermarket to get you buying AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, regardless of healthy or not. Regardless of if you need it or not and certainly with absolutely no regard as to if you are trying to drop a couple of post Christmas pounds or not!
With this in mind they use a few tricks to try and part you with your well earned cash, to get you spending more on the more expensive and potentially LESS healthy food stuffs, spending more time in the store ultimately boosting their own bank balance.
Here is a few of the tricks they use, how it affects you and some ways that you can keep the blinkers on, resist the temptations and walk away with JUST the stuff you wanted to get in the first place…
REMEMBER if its NOT in your cupboard you CANT eat it…its THAT simple
Firstly as you walk into the store you will be hit with the aroma of flowers, fresh fruit and veg, perhaps the chicken rotisserie and then the waft of freshly baked bread…my mouth is watering just thinking about it…just what they want to happen in store! You now have excited your taste sense and following this triggered your hunger!!
Another reason all the healthy fresh produce is next to the entrance, followed by the healthy meat section is that as you pass this you stock up, feeling good about your healthy selection, feeling virtuous so that by the time you get to the unhealthy end, wine, chocolate and snacks you allow yourself a treat and feel less guilty about it
Where are all the staples? Bread, milk, eggs etc…usually at the back of the store meaning a long walk past a lot of very tempting food stuffs on the way…i can’t remember a time i popped in for milk and ended up with just milk….ooooh a protein bar, oh ill need a drink with that too…maybe just a small fruit snack pot!
Treats near the check out…you’re tired, stressed and want to get home but there’s a massive queue now at the check out…your will power is low and that chocolate bar has just winked at you…you can’t resist can you!
A lot of the food items, Cereals in particular are not in any recognisable order so as you search for your favourite brand you inevitably see something you’d like to try and pick up (for special occasions of course)
On a similar point tasty and not so healthy children’s snacks and cereals are on their own lower eye level so that they see them and want them (fuelled by those brilliant adverts)….with a tantrum to follow if you refuse, ending up in you giving in and helping yourself to a little bowl of jonnies favourite honey nut marshmallow shapes at 9pm watching casualty whilst hes tucked up in bed
Stores will also regularly change the layout, maybe they are just trying to work out ways to help you make it less of a task…yeah right….spend 15 minutes looking for the olive oil…bought 15 unwanted objects in the meantime…coincidence!!!!
Have a clubcard? Part of the Loyalty scheme? Ever bought something that was discounted via this that you wouldn’t of normally even considered?
BOGOF/ Discounted items, especially on the ends of the middle isle to attract you to stuff you might not necessarily buy….and also buying more than you need of the things you want for the same price, if you buy it you WILL eat it…you just will there’s no point even denying it.
Even the flooring is taken into consideration, smaller tiles on the floor mean a faster click clack sound as you go over them in a trolley, you slow down, you notice MORE, you get tempted more…guess what!!
Another trick designed to keep you in there longer is slower music, designed to SLOOOOOOOW you down!!
Lastly larger shopping trolleys means buying more!
Quite an array of things that make it far more difficult than it should be to go in, pick up some healthy food and get out…so here are some ways to try and reduce the risk!! As well as just being aware of all those tricks
ALWAYS have a list, its simple. It makes it a quicker process, less deviation, more mental focus, more winning! Include a treat if you want one to reduce the chance of giving in, but stick to it!
OR Shop online to stop the buying of bits you notice as you go around, have a prepared list saved online, one you use regularly with staple healthy options.
Work backwards, missing out the unhealthy section at the back towards the fresh stuff and filling up there. You are less inclined to go all the way back once you are finished
Try shopping with a smaller trolley or a basket instead. If it won’t fit in there you might not buy it, plus carrying a basket is extra work….extra calories burned!!!
Finally…
NEVER NEVER NEVER shop when hungry…never. Its that simple. If i go to the supermarket after the gym im pretty much opening up food items in the isle and most things don’t even make it to the car!!
If you want a pre prepared shopping list ive put together just email paul@myfitnesspro.co.uk, which is full of the staple ingredients that will help keep you eating a good whole food based diet, making fat loss easier, being healthy less hard work and reducing the thinking you need to do
Please leave feedback on the Facebook page, it really helps and also helps if theres anything you want info on
Shop safe out there people!
Paul