We have trouble living with food and we certainly cannot live without food. Unfortunately, there are foods that contain some predetermined form of kryptonite to our bodies. For me it is a gourmet cupcake. The kryptonite in the cupcake renders me weak, confused about the direction I want to keep my diet going in and has a supernatural power over me that makes the cupcake scream “eat me”. After I finish consuming the cupcake I then spend hours lamenting the sad fate of having a positive caloric balance which will lead to weight gain and the discomfort of an increasing waistline. Superman had no cure for kryptonite so I know I will not find the cure to my form of kryptonite. The only way to deal with the kryptonite in my cupcake that renders me powerless to make a rational eating choice was to accept and embrace my weakness. I had to develop a plan to limit my exposure to this element so I would not become dazed and confused by a mound of beautifully formed iced topping on top of a velvety puff of cake. The best plan involved acceptance of this weakness and letting myself enjoy enough of the cupcake without becoming weak and powerless. I no longer feel guilt or the effect of kryptonite from my cupcake. I allow myself to enjoy a piece of the cupcake once a month. Once I let go of the guilt and power of the kryptonite in the cupcake I no longer felt the need to eat the entire cupcake. A small piece every now and then hits the feel good spot and avoids the anguish and guilt from consuming an entire cupcake.
I think the lesson we can learn from Superman is to limit exposure to the foods in our lives that contain kryptonite. The first step is to identify the foods that render you powerless and fill you with guilt. For some it is soda, fancy coffees, ice cream or cake. If you exert control over the food with kryptonite you can control the food instead of it controlling you. One of the keys to managing our diet and weight is to enjoy foods containing kryptonite in small doses. Self empowerment is an amazing tool to promote a healthful diet and weight control.