Health Quest IV: Victory Over the UPFs
Fight the temptation, resist the manipulation, and use the food industry's own strengths against them. The final chapter in the Health Quest series, turning marketing tricks, color science, and mindful eating into your battlefield advantage.
Fight the temptation, resist the manipulation, use their strengths against them! You've learned who the enemy is, scouted their territory, and gone on the offensive. Now it's time to finish the campaign, by turning the food industry's own playbook into your battlefield advantage.
1. Use their colors against them
Don't worry, understanding colors can also be therapeutic. Keep your color and sensory variety to a minimum and use color to help you distinguish the energy density of foods. Colors serve as signals that guide you toward healthier choices and eating patterns. Make no mistake about my message: I'm not saying to reduce your variety of fruits and vegetables, just the variety of ultra-processed foods you eat. One more bit of advice, if there's an artificial food coloring present, it's a pretty good sign that whatever you're eating is ultra-processed.
2. Advertising intent, packages as indicators
Packaging is tactical and intentional. Have you ever picked up a package that says "all natural" on it and thought, "No way, I don't see a granola bar growing on a stem in the middle of a field"? How about branding with cartoon characters to entice kids into asking mom and dad to buy the next big item? Or even brand-level strategies built to establish loyalty so you'll always reach for that particular food item? Learn their ways. Become savvy about marketing, and you can become savvy about your health and your eating.
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3. Flow eating
Every good warrior experiences a state of "flow", when everything just slows down and they see more clearly the steps ahead. Flow eating, a simple act of mindfulness and prolonged chewing, reduces BMI by reducing cravings and emotional eating. The following techniques can help you achieve Flow eating.
Cognitive defusion
Now that you know UPFs bypass satiety, counter these fullness flanking maneuvers and send them into retreat using a battlefield tactic called "cognitive defusion." Scout out your cravings, watch them rather than act on them, creating powerful boundaries and distance between you and them. It's important to recognize that cravings are not just physical, but can also be triggered by emotions like stress, boredom, or sadness. If you notice that your cravings are tied to how you feel, that's normal and completely valid. Consider reaching out for support, talking to friends or loved ones, or using simple coping strategies like a short walk, deep breathing, or writing down your feelings. Pay attention to your cravings, but don't interact with them. Your relationship with those cravings can be meaningfully adjusted in positive directions. They no longer act as your commanders, calling the shots; now they are a wave you can surf as you enter your state of Flow.
Cognitive reappraisal
One final battlefield brain strategy is called "cognitive reappraisal." Food thoughts will persist, but they become allies, a real force for good because you've changed your relationship with them. Now, when you're at the gas station and see a candy bar, you have the power to ask: "Am I going to risk death for that? Is eating that junk worth me taking metformin for the rest of my life?"
Use these techniques to harden your brain against the influences of marketing so the food that once was your Achilles heel now becomes your source of comedy as you scoff at their feeble attempts to entice you.
Plan your Normandy
Finally, finish off your Normandy plans with the final implementation design. When you are presented with a food that you love to eat but shouldn't, how will you respond? If you have a plan, you are more likely to do something you will not regret later. Cognitive training can help you eat less and improve the quality of the food that you eat. For example: "When I go to that party and they offer soda, I will simply ask for water."
“Sound the alarm to warn your comrades in arms. Take that cognitive dissonance and shout it out against industry influence!”
Now that you've learned about the harm produced by ultra-processed foods and how the industry convinces us to eat garbage, get out there and fight against those practices. Create internal motivation to align your behavior with your values. Let's. Stinkin'. Go.
Sustaining the campaign
Remember, lasting change requires sustained motivation. To keep your momentum going on your health quest, try a few battle-tested strategies: track your progress by jotting down your wins, however small, in a journal or using a health app. Celebrate every small victory, like walking past the snack aisle without caving, cooking one more meal at home, or having one fewer soda. Rally reliable allies by finding a support buddy, joining a community group, or sharing your goals with friends or family. When motivation starts waning, remind yourself of your reasons for getting started in the first place, write your "why" somewhere visible, like your fridge or bathroom mirror. And remember, setbacks are just skirmishes, not the end of the war. Stay vigilant, adapt your tactics, and keep charging forward. You're not alone on this journey.
Former military, strength athlete, and physician who rebuilt his own health after struggling with weight through training and residency. Dr. James writes about the real causes of chronic disease and what it actually takes to fix them.
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