“Before that, as a health coach, I was kind of judgmental with what people were eating,” Smith said, “and watching this woman made me realize, ‘That was me.’” That woman inspired Smith, 23, of Brookline, to begin writing “Junk Foods and Junk Moods: Stop Craving and Start Living.” The book, which will be released at the end of the month, encourages others to not only think about what they eat, but also the way they think about themselves.
Anyone who has ever felt fatigued, or even self-loathing, after eating a slice of chocolate cake has been in a “junk mood.” Smith said unhealthy foods, especially sugar, have addictive qualities that supply the body with a quick “high” that leads more quickly to a crash. The need to keep satisfying these cravings is what makes it so difficult to break the habit.
“It’s a continuous cycle that I just noticed a lot of people find themselves in, and I found myself in that same cycle as a kid,” said Smith, formerly of Washington County Health Partners Inc.
Smith suffered from anxiety and depression as a child, so she turned to comfort foods, like watermelon gummy bears and Twix bars to cope. When she discovered nutrition, her life drastically improved, and she decided to help others avoid emotional eating.
Her book is divided into three sections: body, mind and spirit. The first section, naturally, is all about eating – but far from a diet book outlining rigid steps to follow. Instead, Smith urges readers to “treat your body like a lab” to understand one’s individual nutritional needs.
Smith urges readers to pay attention to what they are eating; as a rule of thumb, mystery ingredients, like monosodium glutamate, should be avoided, and the first listed ingredient should match one’s expectations.
“If you’re eating tomato soup and the first ingredient is sugar … you’re no longer eating tomato soup. You’re eating sugar soup,” she said.
Her book also encourages readers to listen to what their bodies need. Cravings for salty chips can be caused by a lack of natural minerals in the body, which is easily remedied by drinking water or eating root vegetables instead.
In addition to eating right, Smith stresses in her book the importance of a healthy mindset and how to cope “when life gets in the way” without overeating.
“There are actually studies now that show that a postive mindset actually physically affects the body,” she said.
Her book provides positive mindset activities, including a vision board to help readers achieve their goals.
If readers take away anything from her book, Smith hopes it is to “think good thoughts; eat good, real food; and love yourself. Those are three key ingredients to living a happy, healthy life.”
Although her book may not help readers fit into a size 5 dress by spring, it will allow them to make long-term lifestyle changes.
“We’re so torn by all these diet theories and quick fixes and lose 10 pounds in two days, and we want that. We want results yesterday,” she said, “but really we need to listen to our body because it will ultimately tell us what we need.”
“Junk Foods and Junk Moods” will be sold on Smith’s website, www.foodmoodgirl. com, as well as on Amazon and in independent bookstores.
