What is your Kryptonite?

My husband was going to the grocery store for an emergency run. He said it might get ugly. I knew exactly what he meant: he was going to be naughty and buy some bad stuff. He was giving in to a craving. He used to do these kinds of emergency runs for me when I "needed" some chocolate chip cookies or a slice of cake. He asked me what I wanted and I told him: "Do NOT buy anything I like."

Of course, I enjoy all kinds of delicious, yet nutritious, foods every single day. I really do love spinach, kale, guacamole, sprouted wheat bread, grassfed butter, organic berries, pistachios, roasted chicken, and goat cheese. I even treat myself to small squares of dark chocolate, organic peanut butter, and homemade Paleo muffins. But these foods are not my Kryptonite. I can eat just one and be done.

Kryponite=foods you cannot resist. Kryponite makes you helpless. Kryptonite means foods without brakes. Foods that once you start eating, you simply cannot stop. Foods that cause you to lose control. Foods that ruin your diet and your day and your waistline and possibly your life.

Some people might think these are your "favorite" foods. Some might argue that you should enjoy life by consuming these foods without brakes. I'd say if you are at a healthy weight, and normally eat a balanced diet, you might be able to afford a little Kryptonite. Maybe you can purchase a single serving? Maybe that won't lead to a full-out binge. Maybe you are not the type to go overboard and this isn't even an issue for you.

For an alcoholic, Kryponite is booze. For an addict, Kryptonite is drugs. For a gambler, Kryptonite might be a card game or a lottery ticket. 

Anyone who currently has, or has had in the past, a significant weight problem will know that Kryptonite is real. It might be candy, cookies, cake, pizza, pasta, bread, ice cream, fries, donuts, or some other combination of sugar, carbs, and fat. Kryponite is junk food. I have never heard of anyone having an asparagus addiction. No, it is usually sweet or salty, fatty, processed, refined carbohydrates that we crave. The grocery stores and fast food restaurants make a killing on Kryptonite.

And in return, Kryptonite is killing us. There are more and more new types and flavors of junk food arriving in our stores daily, all designed to be irresistible. All scientifically engineered to create cravings. All made to appeal to our weakness for sugar, salt, and fat. In dangerous combinations. And we, as a nation, keep getting fatter and fatter.

How do we deal with Kryptonite?

My strategy is total and complete avoidance. If I do not see, hear, smell, touch, or taste my Kryptonite, I can forget about it. I can be happy with my healthy-ish treats that are low in sugar and high in nutrients. When I shop for food, I completely avoid the aisles that contain my Kryptonite. (If I have to walk past the bakery section, I try not to smell or admire the cakes and cookies that call my name.) It helps to never shop while I'm hungry, and to stick to a list.

But Kryptonite must not enter my home.

Luckily, I have compliance from my family. My husband returned from the store with all kinds of crunchy, salty, fatty snacks that I have absolutely no trouble avoiding. They might be his Kryptonite, but they are not mine. He knows what I can't resist, and he is kind enough to keep those products out of our house.

How do you deal with your Kryptonite?