Short term, yes. Long term, no.
Let me explain...
Assuming that your favorite foods are all of the processed, hyper-palatable, high dose dopamine foods (bread, cookies, desserts, crackers, ice-cream etc.), it would be wildly beneficial for you to completely eliminate these foods for a certain period of time. Maybe that's 2 weeks, maybe that's 30 days, maybe that's 3 months. This all depends on the individual and their unique health overview, needs, and readiness.
However, no matter who you are or what you have going on, the complete elimination piece here is important and the benefits stretch far beyond what you experience physically.
I understand this can feel like a dreadful process but before you say "Sayonara, baby!" to this article, just hear me out.
From a behavioral standpoint, if you are able to cold turkey these foods for 30 days they will have far less of a grip on you in the future. Processed food is addictive and in order to break the addiction, science shows cutting out is best, not simply cutting back. These transformative results aren't as likely to happen if you eat your favorite junk foods frequently during the week. Research shows 30 days or more gives you the best chance. Again, this is not your long-term strategy but it is part of the process and will set you up for success in the future.
My best advice to you is to look at this period of time as an exciting challenge. You are fully capable of this and just imagine what it will feel like to cross the finish line. Challenging yourself is fun and rewarding. Cutting out these foods is not an act of restriction, it's discipline. And discipline is self-love. Doing what's right for your mind and your body is how you care for yourself. It helps you, teaches you, humbles you and ultimately sets you free. You're not giving up anything, you're gaining everything.
In the short term, you stop eating certain foods, but what you gain is incredible insight, confidence, and a thriving body.
In the long-term, the goal is to moderately incorporate these foods in a way that feels intentional and controlled. Fully embracing a mostly healthy way of living and never back to the point where food is more powerful than you. Indulging in "worth it" moments and savoring every bite.
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