The Instinct Diet Helps Us Combat Our Hard-Wired Food Cravings - And Satisfy Our Cravings for Something Spicy, Salty, Crunchy, & Chocolate

"How do you counter a hunger attack?  You can walk into the nearest deli and buy an 800-calorie brownie--or you can plan ahead and carry a high fiber Snack Attack Pack with you at all times.  Because these 'snacks' slow digestion, they should help our craving disappear over time.  I favor rich, full flavors and chewy textures, all kinds of spices and herbs--delicious and satisfying flavors without too many calories."

-Susan B. Roberts, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and psychiatry at Tufts University-

I stopped by my local library to return books on Wednesday and as always, I checked out the New Book Shelf. 

Honestly, I almost always bypass diet books.  And at first glance, The Instinct Diet, sounded like just one more goofball diet book, but I took a look and quickly changed my mind.  Susan Roberts, the author knows her subject, and this book is the whole package--brain & body.  Remember--she's a professor of nutrition & psychiatry.

Her book is the perfect companion to Dr. David Kessler's The End of Overeating, because it provides you with tools to end overeating.  Remember, I blogged about his book back in May?   Dr. David Kessler, Former FDA Commissioner's New Book: The End of Overeating - Why A Chocolate Chip Cookie Has So Much Power Over Us - Fat, Sugar, Salt, & the Brain.

Roberts' book addresses all our instincts:  our cravings for calorie-dense fat and sugar foods--our food-trigger comfort foods--our need for never-ending food variety--all of which adds up to overeating.

"Satisfying our hardwired instincts has been critical to our survival for as long as we have been human. That's why we eat when food is available, choose the most calorie-dense foods, and hate the feeling of hunger. Today, these same drives are leading millions down the path of obesity. But Dr. Susan B. Roberts, an internationally recognized nutrition researcher at Tufts University, shows how to turn our food instincts into an engine for permanent, healthy weight loss.

The Instinct Diet—the "I" diet—is a pleasure to follow: a diet based on impeccable research, a diet where the dieter never goes hungry, a diet that's unequivocally healthy, thoroughly grounded in the metabolic, genetic, and psychological workings of the human body. Essentially, it shows how you can control the controls."   --the Amazon book description--

Here's why I took the book out.  Since I've been a kid my favorite comfort foods have been barbecue potato chips and anything chocolate--preferably with crunch.  In elementary school, I used to stop by Coventry Drug everyday to buy a Nestle's Crunch Bar.

This year I gave up sugar.  And I keep chips and snacks out of the house.  But...when I saw Dr. Robert's recipes for the Instinct Diet Cereal Desserts and Snack Attack Packs, I just had to give them a try.  Sometimes I just want a little snack that's not fruit or nuts.

Here's the Principle When It Comes To Snacks:

1. You keep the junk food out of the house.  Yeh, we already knew this.

2. You allow yourself only two healthy snacks a day.  This is the brilliant part of Robert's plan.  You've got a specific limit here.  And it's not just the usual fruit, veggies or cheese sticks.

I tried 2 of her snacks (the Chocolate Cereal Dessert & the Salty Snack Attack Pack) & I was happily surprised at how satisfying they were.  Not that I'm going to regularly start indulging--and not that I need any more fiber in my diet--but give these a try and let me know what you think.

It's possible that my tastebuds are so changed (or deranged) these days that I'm deluding myself into think that these snacks are delicious.

Chocolate Cereal Dessert--My Nestle's Crunch--Chocolate-Covered Peanut Substitute

Makes one serving

Because the cereal is coated with chocolate, you'll feel as if you're eating more chocolate than you really are, and it's surprisingly delicious!

1/3 cup high-fiber cereal  (Fiber One or All-Bran Extra Fiber)  purists note:  there's a titch of the dread aspartame in this, and other unnecessary ingredients.   Advice about a non-additive high-fiber cereal would be appreciated!

1 square (about 10 grams) good bittersweet chocolate such as Lindt Excellence Intense Dark or Ghiradelli Intense Dark Midnight Reverie 86% cacao  (use a scale to measure this!!)

1/3 cup nonfat milk.  Since I avoid dairy, I substituted Pacific Hazelnut Milk.  Or use soy or almond milks.

2 drops mint extract (optional)  I opted out.

Put the cereal in a small microwave-safe bowl with the chocolate on top.
Microwave on high on high power until the chocolate is melted but not bubbling.  20-40 seconds
Mix the cereal and chocolate together well with a fork until all of the cereal is nicely coated.
Wait a minute or two for it to cool, then add the milk and mint extract, if desired.

**I have a 20 year old 500 watt microwave.  By the time I got the chocolate to melt, the cereal had burned.  So...I tried it again.  I first melted my chocolate, and then added the cereal and mixed it all up.  Just a warning!

Calories:  106; Protein:  4.7 grams;  Total Fat:  3.0 grams;  Saturated Fat:  1.2 grams;  Fiber:  9.9 grams

**Update:  A reader (thank you J.K.) came to the rescue with a suggestion for a healthier, non-aspartame fiber cereal.

Read All About It

Salty Snack Attack Pack--My Barbecue Potato Chip Substitute

Makes one serving

1/4 cup high-fiber cereal (Fiber One or All-Bran Extra Fiber)  Purists note:  there's a titch of the dread aspartame in this, and other unnecessary ingredients.   Advice about a non-additive high-fiber cereal would be appreciated!

2 TBS dry-roasted lightly salted peanuts  (check labels to be sure there's nothing else added)

Seasoning Powder, such as nacho, Cajun or barbeque flavor (Roberts recommends Spices, Etc. for interesting blends)

Put the cereal and peanuts in a plastic bag.  Add the seasoning powder, mix everything together, and you have a snack to go.)

Calories:  125; Protein:  2.3 grams;  Total Fat:  8.2 grams;  Saturated Fat:  2.3 grams;  Fiber:  8.1 grams

Trail Mix Snack Attack Pack

Makes one serving

1/4 cup high-fiber cereal (Fiber One or All-Bran Extra Fiber)  Purists note:  there's a titch of the dread aspartame in this, and other unnecessary ingredients.   Advice about a non-additive high-fiber cereal would be appreciated!

1 TBS raisins

2 tsp. sunflower seeds

2 pecan halves, chopped

Put everything in a bag and they're ready to go.

Calories:  125;   Protein: 2.7 grams;   Total Fat:  8.2 grams;  Saturated Fat:  2.1 grams;  Fiber:  8.1 grams.

Sweet Snack Attack Pack--My Nestle's Crunch/Chocolate-Covered Peanut Substitute

Makes one serving

1/4 cup high-fiber cereal (Fiber One or All-Bran Extra Fiber)  Purists note:  there's a titch of the dread aspartame in this, and other unnecessary ingredients.   Advice about a non-additive high-fiber cereal would be appreciated!

1 square (about 10 grams) good bittersweet chocolate such as Lindt Excellence Intense Dark or Ghiradelli Intense Dark Midnight Reverie 86% cacao  (use a scale to measure this!!)

4 pecan halves, chopped

Put the cereal in a small microwave-safe bowl with the chocolate on top.
Microwave on high wave on high power until the chocolate is melted but not bubbling.  20-40 seconds
Mix the cereal and chocolate together well with a fork until all of the cereal is nicely coated.
Let cool completely, mix in the pecans and put this sweet snack in a bag to take with you next time you go out.

**I have a 20 year old 500 watt microwave.  By the time I got the chocolate to melt, the cereal had burned.  So..I first melted my chocolate, and then added the cereal and mixed it all up.  Just a warning!

Calories:  125; Protein:  2.7 grams; Total Fat:  8.2 grams;  Sat. Fat:  2.1 grams; Fiber:  8.1 grams

The Five Food Instincts

1.  Hunger.  Confront hunger head on, every day!  Make sure every meal and every snack makes you feel satisfied and cuts hunger with one or more of the following compositions:

• High fiber
• High protein/low carb
• High volume
• Mixed high- and low-Glycemic Index foods

2.  Availability.  No excuses here!  You can take charge of your food environment, and you can make changes to reduce temptation, overeating and even hunger.

• Keep your kitchen stocked with ready-to-eat, healthy, satisfying foods.  Throw out the junk.
• Keep eating out to a minimum.  (The Healthy Librarian agrees!)
• "Spring-Clean" your mind.  Control sight and smells to keep temptations at bay.

3.  Calorie Density.  You love food in general and rich treats in particular.  These simple tricks can help you keep pleasure up and calories down.

• Use the "sandwich" technique with moderate portions of high-calorie foods in the middle of a meal, low-calorie foods high in fiber and protein at the beginning and end.
• Make low-calorie foods more appetizing.  Add a little fat or strong flavoring to make them taste better.  Keep some indulgences, but cut calories and add fiber to make them healthier.

4.  Familiarity.  Let's hear it for routines and rituals.  With a little direction, this instinct can be turned around to to help you create healthy food preferences.  (Healthy Librarian: This works.  My tastes have really changed.  I'm done with chicken, burgers, dairy, ribs & fries)

• Eat at regular times so your body will learn not to expect food at other times.  This will increase your enjoyment and reduce temptation.
• Learn to get greater enjoyment from healthy, satisfying foods by eating them when you're hungry!
• Reduce cravings by carefully following a food plan and using proactive craving stoppers.

5.  Variety.  By influencing what you eat without being aware of it, this instinct can help or hinder weight control, depending on what you put in your kitchen and on your plate.

• Keep a low variety of variety of unhealthy foods.  This reduces how many calories you eat.
• Keep a high variety of healthy foods.  This good variety reduces calories and increases satisfaction.
• Use the 50% Variety Rule (make sure at least 50% of foods in each meal and snack are low in calories and high in fiber or protein)

The Instinct Diet is definitely not a light-weight.  It has proven tips and tricks to keep us satisfied & to help us manage our cravings. 

• There are many vegetarian and vegan recipe options
• Added fat, when used, is kept low
• The ingredients are fresh "real" food.  Roberts encourages a move to no-additive eating.
• Roberts includes an extensive bibliography of scientific articles to back up her techniques
• Even if you are following a low-fat vegan diet, you will definitely pick up a few eating strategies and techniques that will help you work with your food instincts and keep you on "the straight & narrow".

Comments

[JK]

Love your blog! Here's a link to my favorite high fiber, no-artificial-stuff, yummy cereal. http://www.naturespath.com/products/cold-cereals/smartbran-cereal

Tonight, after reading your blog, I took a little chocolate and melted it over the cereal. Super good. Thanks for the tip!

[Hank]

Curious if you'll compare to this,
http://www.kashi.com/products/nutrition_info/chewy_granola_bars_trail_mix
or anything else available premade.
(I know these are somehow different than the vending machine stuff, because the vending machine people laughed off my request to stock them, though they've added other higher-fat stuff others suggested)

[Hank Roberts]

Hey, can you take a look at the Kashi products and comment on how they fit with this? They are the only prepackaged ones I can find on the shelves these days that seem even close: http://www.kashi.com/our_foods

[Gina]

I see by your recent posts that you have apparently forsworn nuts, and maybe chocolate too, but I have been making a variation of one of the sweet snacks above since I read this post, and I love it! My recipe:

1 square 70% (or 85%) Lindt chocolate [55 calories]
1/3 cup Trader Joe's High Fiber Cereal [no aspartame, 40 calories]
8 almonds, coarsely chopped (~70 calories]

I melt the chocolate in the microwave (55 seconds at 70% power works for me), then thoroughly stir in both the cereal and nuts. I usually eat it with a spoon right away, but allowed to cool, the mixture is transportable. Very satisfying and nutritious for only 165 calories!

[Donna McFarland]

Could you not use Hershey's special dark chocolate syrup, in place of the solid chocolate square?