When most people try to lose weight, they watch one number: the scale. But not all weight loss is...
Proactive Eating
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: January 24, 2022
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Two terms that I always bring up with my patients are proactive eating and reactive eating. I often tell my patients I want them to be prepared for the days and weeks ahead. I want them to be a proactive eater. Now, this is not something that is going to be mastered overnight. Learning to be a proactive eater takes time. It takes time to change years and years of reactive eating behavior.
Let’s start by defining what a proactive eater is. Well, it’s just like it sounds. Be proactive. Have a plan. By being a proactive eater, you are not allowing external cues to affect your eating. When you are a proactive eater, you are choosing:
- When you are going to eat
- What you will eat
- How much you will eat
What is a reactive eater? A reactive eater means you are reacting to hunger, stress, boredom, or other emotions. When you react and don’t have a plan, you are more likely to eat what is convenient. Convenient foods tend to be more calorie-dense and contain more sugar.
How do you become a proactive eater?
First, you need a plan. A food plan is going to ensure you are getting exactly what your body needs. Think about what your meals will be. What do you need to buy from the grocery store? Meal prep for the week. What is your goal for calorie intake? Protein intake? Carbohydrate intake?
Timing- You should be eating every 3-4 hours. Determine what time you will eat breakfast and plan the rest of the day from there. For example, if you eat breakfast at 8 am, you will eat no later than noon, snack before 4 pm, dinner at 6-7, then a snack before bedtime.
Portions- Control your portions. Don’t allow yourself to over-eat. Instead, place your food in containers. What is in the container is what you will eat.
Becoming a proactive eater can be daunting. At the end of the day, it’s not. The time it takes you to react to the hunger and find something to eat will be balanced by the time it took you to plan and prepare your food. Never expect perfection. If becoming a proactive eater is a new concept/new behavior, it will take time to master. What is important is never to give up and never expect perfection. Don’t beat yourself up if you forget to plan and eat a convenient meal. Reflect! How did it happen, why did it happen, and how did you feel afterward? Often it’s guilt or shame. Remember that you have control over those feelings. Be proactive! Success will not happen overnight. What is essential is to reflect on that day of reactive eating and get back to being in control. Go back to what you know works, and that is being a proactive eater!
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
Reviews
Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
