Make no mistake: we crave processed comfort foods for a reason, especially when we are feeling stressed, anxious, or tired. The taste of these foods, often high in fat, sugar, and salt, provides us with immediate pleasure. But their blissful flavors are short lived. We are then left with uneven blood sugar levels, lack of energy, and unhappiness with ourselves. These negative physical and mental feelings often result in consuming more of these foods; thus, we find ourselves in a cycle of unhealthy food patterns:

1. Reason: feeling stressed, anxious, or tired
2. Action: eating highly processed comfort foods
3. Immediate effect: feelings of pleasure, better mood, burst of energy (though short term!)
4. Continued effect: uneven blood sugar, feelings of sluggishness, foggy brain, and self-loathing, which leads back to feeling stressed and anxious

Key to avoiding this cycle is an awareness of your moods, emotions, and energy levels and the resulting food cravings. Begin noticing which foods you automatically reach for when feeling stressed or tired. Then stop and consider whether you can substitute something else. By doing so, you create a positive cycle instead of the self-destructiveness outlined above:

1. Reason: feeling stressed, anxious, or tired
2. Action: eating nourishing, minimally processed comfort foods
3. Effect (both immediate and continued): stable blood sugar, more energy, alertness, and greater self-satisfaction

The following chart is designed to help you get started on this transition. Look at the list of commonly craved foods and a few possible corresponding plant-based alternatives. See which choices might work for you and try it out. The goal is for you to stock up on foods that are healthful yet pleasurable to eat. Because at the end of the day, the goal of a healthy lifestyle is not to avoid pleasure; if anything, we should be striving for more pleasure.

Finally, be kind to yourself. Be committed to eating healthily, yet allow yourself to be imperfect. I often hear people remark, “I’ve been bad” or “I’ve fallen off the wagon.” There is no wagon to fall off on this journey. Remember: you are traveling on your individual path toward overall health and well-being.