Follow Your Rules

Hopefully, we've had some success shifting our brain away from some of our weight gain habits.  Research shows that we will have the most adherence to our goals if we focus on ONE clear task at a time.  (From Leo Babauta's book, The Power of Less, one specific task leads to 85% adherence, two tasks it drops down to less than 35% and three tasks an abysmal 10% of triumph.) 

In Dr. David Kessler's book, The End of Overeating, he says that we can change how our brain reacts to ingrained food cues.  On page 184, "In the beginning, you'll need to control your actions carefully (RULES), but in the long term, you'll replace one set of automatic behaviors for another."  OK, great...how do we do this? 

Make specific rules about how you will handle a food situation that conflicts with your weight loss.
Make specific rules about what your decision will be at the split second your brain gets the food cue.
Make specific rules about how you will handle a food failure. 

In the section Theory of Treatment in Dr. Kessler's book he suggests that the first step in habit reversal is awareness.  Become aware of what the triggers are that create an overeating situation.  Learning to pay attention to the "urge" will help us realize that we have a choice. (How about making this choice one of your rules?)

The second step is "engaging in competing behaviors."  If we have an old habit, like eating after dinner every night, we need to have a plan of what we are going to do in lieu of eating aimlessly after we've eaten this meal.  Eliminating the cue (like any commercial on night time TV) may be the first step.  Make a rule.  Here's a few to consider:

• I will only allow myself to eat fruit or vegetables after dinner.
• I will only eat while sitting down.
• I will not go in the kitchen after dinner.
• I will allow myself a cup of tea and two graham crackers after dinner.
• I will count how many times I chew my night time snack (be in the present while eating!)
• I will chew gum while cleaning up the kitchen so I don't clean the dishes with my mouth.

Set ourselves up for success.  Rules help pave the way for us to do without having to rely on that sneaky willpower that sometimes turns its back on us!

Sorry, Brain, Things are Gonna Change Around Here

I like saturated fat and salt mixed together.  It tastes really good to me.  Apparently, it is also causing the pleasure center in my brain to light up with glee.  Further to that, according to an article I just read in IDEA’s March Fitness Journal, my brain is hardwired to seek out happiness and safety and shun discomfort.  As much as I think I’m in charge of my decisions and my willpower, my “primal brain” runs the show most of the time and wants me to eat saturated fat and salt mixed together so I’m happy and temporarily safe (in that I’m not going to starve to death at lunch on Tuesday afternoon).  It doesn’t understand or care about the long-term consequences of high cholesterol and excess body fat.

 So is this the end of the road for me and everyone else trying to beat the beast down to lose a few pounds? 

The answer is NO. 

But, how can I change my brain’s reaction to salt and fat pie?  I could make a public declaration espousing the evil of my beloved and how from this day forward, I will not be mesmerized by its allure.  Then tonight when I’m watching American Idol a big juicy burger at the commercial break will start whispering to me, telling me how happy I’ll be if we hook up.  “Primal brain” says, “Go for it, that burger will rock your world.”   You get the picture….

So is this the end of the road for me and everyone else trying to………

The "no" doesn't sound so confident now.  I can see why on Day 2 or Week 3 or whenever, that I'm ready to throw in the towel.  Happy brain circuitry to blame.

So now what...how do I change this neural infatuation short of getting my taste buds removed. 

It doesn't have much to do with hunger.  Studies on humans and animals have found that add salt, fat and sugar and we and our mammal counterparts will keep on eating with reckless abandon. I need to rewrite history by putting in a new set of rules.   

Our task this week, is to make one SMALL, SPECIFIC change to our eating patterns.  Let's not over analyze it initially.  Do we want to drink more water?  Have a small cup next to the sink.  After brushing, drink two glasses of water.  Depending on the size of your cup and how many times we brush our teeth, that could be 16-32 more oz a day. 

Want to eat less carbohydrates? Decide not to eat starchy foods after lunch.  Or write down every carb serving eaten and keep it to six or under.  Remember our serving sizes, ½ cup rice or pasta, 1 slice of bread. 

Want to stop grazing?  Drink a protein shake for a snack.  Or make a snack list of 5 things and don’t divert from it.  Carry prepackaged snacks with you. Or, eat only 5 times a day.  Chew gum. 

What will you change this week?  Be specific.  Start small and achievable.  Share this goal with someone.  Commit to it, but if you falter get back on at your next eating occasion.