You’ve got phenylketonuria and, generally speaking, you’ve got your diet under control. But has it ever happened to you to lose it and eat badly, or to eat too much protein because you were so hungry? If you’re like me, it’s probably already happened to you, and I’m guessing you felt guilty afterwards.
Don’t feel too guilty!
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I was watching a podcast this week where a doctor specializing in nutrition and longevity mentioned something that struck me. It’s not an exact quote, but it sounded something like this. « Don’t rely on willpower to control your hunger. The body and brain are programmed to survive. If you find yourself in a situation where you’re very hungry, you won’t make it! The body will do anything to get food / energy and you’ll make bad choices. »
What struck me about this is that it applies perfectly to several situations I’ve experienced in my life. For example, evenings when I was so hungry that when I came across foods I liked so much, it seemed like my sense of rationalization was simply short-circuited. At that very specific moment, I simply couldn’t think about phenylketonuria. I’d been talking about it lately with my dietitian and other family members. My explanation up until then had been that you can’t think 100% about sticking to a diet 24/7, and that at some point, other factors in life (busy schedules, meetings, stress, appointments, etc.) would override « willpower » or « rationality » and you’d eventually give up.
I wasn’t that far off the mark. Willpower is overrated.
Well, I exaggerate. Willpower is super important. But it’s probably no match for the body’s biology and its desire to survive. We’re going to get hungry and we’re going to eat. And our biggest problem is that, unlike most people, this doesn’t just apply to calories, but also to the proteins we ingest.
So, what can we do?
Things that will work
Obviously, you have to do something. Personally, I never sit back and accept something as inevitable. 😛 And it turns out there’s a way out, as that doctor mentioned. Instead of relying on willpower, you have to… Plan! And plan a lot!
- Plan your meals for the week, at least lunches and dinners.
- Always carry amino acid formulas that you can easily consume.
- Always bring a bag of snacks and your low-protein meals with you. Always!
- Even plan your evening snacks. If you already know you’re going to eat something healthy, you won’t jump on unhealthy (or even protein-packed) snacks when you get hungry.
These little tricks can make a huge difference in our lives. Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? Tell me about it below or on PKUTalk.
Finally, please remember that I’m only sharing my experience with phenylketonuria and that I’m not a medical professional. I encourage you to discuss these topics with your dietitian or nutritionist before implementing any changes to your diet.
Cover photo: Unsplash, Andrew Hawkes. Modified with Photomator.
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