Archive for the ‘Conditioning’ Category
Conquer Your Habit of Indulgence
Posted on: October 16, 2012
The more I learn about the brain and obesity, the more I realize that our HABITS are the biggest tool we have to changing our lives.
“In marketing indulgence, the food industry knows something about us that we don’t know about ourselves.
By encouraging us to consider any occasion to eat as an opportunity for pleasure and reward, the industry invites us to indulge a lot more often. That theme populates food industry marketing reports and conferences that drive new food products and services.” – The End of Overeating, David Kessler
Once you conquer the habit to “indulge,” your desired result will become the reward in itself. Better energy, a longer life, and a healthy, lean body are much better rewards than the momentary taste of engineered food.
Awareness is not enough- our brains are hardwired from years of the same old behaviors. It will take a conscious effort to say NO to ourselves, and start making better choices. We cannot continue to stimulate our reward centers with sugar, fat, salt, and the chemicals of processed food. The food present in America that is always in your face is not designed to satisfy your hunger. It is designed to keep you eating (aka buying) more, more, more– it is designed to STIMULATE appetite, not alleviate it.
Pick whole, fresh, foods. Use spices instead of salt. Stop using sugar to reward yourself and start associating pleasure with more productive things- reading, walking, talking to a loved one. Your future self- healthy, happy, and not controlled by low-brain behavior, will love you for it.
If you indulge more frequently than you like, have an obsession with food, want to gain control, or if you are a dork who loves neuroscience and applied behavior analysis like me, I urge you to pick up a copy of The End of Overeating by David Kessler.
http://www.theendofovereatingbook.com
Excerpts found at: http://theendofovereatingbook.com/blog.php
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/louise-mccready/d-kessler-author-of-emthe_b_195676.html
Lots of love!
Andrea
Make it Part of Your Identity
Posted on: October 10, 2012
Recently, I officially bought my package to study and take the Personal Trainer Certification Exam.. I have 180 days to complete the exam.
I’m pumped! I chose NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine)- I read it is widely accepted, pays well in most gyms, and has strong ties to science.
With that said, today’s advice is, when you are trying to achieve something:
Make it part of your Identity
You undoubtedly associate yourself with variety of things. Especially in our teenage years, we struggle to find out what type of people we are. We use our surroundings- friends, family, what we do, how we act, what people think of us- to try and come up with a conclusive self. In adulthood, we learn to look within, but sometimes we do not shed the beliefs that we snagged up along the way. They may have served their purpose and are now old news to our wiser selves. We have quite literally outgrown our younger beliefs and need to reexamine them in order to grow further.
At the very peak, you can associate with your body and say “I am a fat person” or “I am a skinny person.” Then you can associate with your wants/desires: we have “I am a chocolate lover,” “I am addicted to ___,” “I love fast food.” Then, as teens do, you can view your actions and identify with them: “I always eat dessert after dinner,” “I eat in my car.” It definitely helps to explore these beliefs and become aware of our pitfalls. However- there is a better way. Fortunately, we can fast track our success and counter our negative beliefs by a simpler route.
Pick New Beliefs:
Act first, and the true belief will come.
A lot of traditional couch therapy focuses on delving into old beliefs in order to shed them. However, if you have nothing to replace them with- you are left with awareness but no way to apply it. Instead, what if we deliberately begin to add in new beliefs about ourselves to our current belief systems?
1. Stop focusing on what you think you can’t change
2. Choose what you WANT to believe about yourself.
3. Act accordingly.
If you decide you want to be a healthy eater, you have to believe that about yourself. You have to retrain your consciousness to believe health is part of your identity.
You can use the following statements to reinvent yourself:
“I am,” I love,” “I like,” and “I act”
“I am a healthy eater, I like choosing healthy foods, I love the feeling of eating clean, and I choose these foods every day.”
The choice to add self-serving beliefs into your routine will force out beliefs that need to be shed. Choose wisely and consciously.
Supplemental Information and Reading:
http://www.nasm.org (National Academy of Sports Medicine)
Mindset – C. Dweck
Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul – Deepak Chopra
The Body Fat Solution – Tom Venuto
Pizza Pizza
Posted on: September 30, 2012
- In: Conditioning | Health Psychology | Nutrition | Psychology | Raw Food | Recipes
- Leave a Comment
According to my Pizza Facts Google search, October is pizza month. So we have a new habit to conquer: STOP EATING PIZZA
I’m just kidding.
If there is a food you absolutely positively will NOT give up- like pizza- then don’t. In the same realm as the rest of this blog: you can’t beat it, make it better.
There are 3 things modern food companies know they can hook us on: sugar, salt, and fat. But pizza itself is not an unhealthy food. It is the stigma of chain restaurants that are giving it a bad rep, adding chemical preservatives, spiking salt and sugar content, using all white flour dough, and feeding you cheap, fatty cheese. Salt and fat, highly preserved and delivered in under an hour. Appetizing?
There are plenty of healthier alternatives:
1. Make it yourself
Making foods from scratch can be rewarding and informative. You know exactly what foods are going in. Seeing the ingredients in their cold state can make you acknowledge exactly what you’re eating- and appreciate it when meal time comes. If you put all the effort in, you won’t want to swallow it down like you might if the delivery boy simply handed it over. (And you could always get in some body-weight exercises while it’s in the oven).
English muffin mini pizzas, bagel pizza, and pita pizzas are smaller-serving alternatives that might satisfy your tomatoey-cheesy-carby craving. You can add plenty of fibrous veggies, like broccoli and zucchini, stack on hearty olives and artichokes, or add flavorful colored peppers. For lean protein to fill you up, add chopped chicken.
Check out whole wheat pita pizza recipes: http://www.wholeliving.com/130959/pita-pizza
2. The thinner the better
If you must go for the boxed version, go for thin crust. Just changing the crust can save you over 100 calories per serving. Save the extra carbs for your side of veggies.
3. Load it with veggies
1. As a topping- Saute’ up some veggies (peppers, onions, artichokes, mushrooms, olives, diced tomatoes, broccoli, spinach) and add them on. Adds vitamins, antioxidants, flavor, and a fill-factor that will allow you to stop when you’re full.
2. As a side- Don’t trust yourself to just eat pizza. We are a society trained to say “pizza and breadsticks,” so make sure you have healthy sides to compliment your new healthy pizza. Pepper slices, carrots, and grapes will compliment the hot pizza with a cold crunch and leave you satisfied and guilt-free.
There are so many alternatives- Greek, Tomato-Basil-Mozzarella, Chipotle chicken– pizza CAN be a healthy meal with the right tweaks. Challenge yourself to try nutrition-loaded versions that supplement your health.
The Dilemma:
After a 5am gym appointment, why on earth did I come to work and want a cookie? (Or 2?)
It might have to do with the fact that
1. It was THERE
2. I was tired. My previous conditioning was that when I felt tired, I would react by eating. Especially carbohydrates… simple carbohydrates. Aka the ‘s’ word.
3. It’s sugar.. sweet, tempting, and so willing to jump right in and wreak havoc on your insides.
The Analysis:
So here’s my thought process when trying to recondition myself and stop an undesirable behavior.
1. Do I really want this? (Am I being present?) This is the hardest thing to determine. There are a wide variety of factors that cause you to reach for food to ingest that is detrimental to your body.
2. Is this part of my cycles? Be sure to track your physical and emotional cycles. These cycles include emotions, stressed, tired, or overwhelmed; transitions; disruptions in daily rhythms and routines; hormonal (i.e. time of month). Knowing your cycles and finding cues to remind yourself in moments of weakness is key; it is the first step in mastering your behavior.
3. What part of me wants this- my body, my mind, or my spirit?
A. BODY: Truly hungry- experiencing hunger pains, fatigue/sense of passing out, lack of energy due to low fuel source
B. MIND: Mental dialogue is saying you “SHOULD” eat. Maybe after a workout, or you “haven’t had enough” today. This type of urge is spurred by outside influences- like an article you read or something you heard. You hear your inner chatter giving you reasons and excuses.
C.SPIRIT: Something is missing, and you’re trying to fill a void. What you really want may be peace. Maybe you have something else you want to accomplish.
D. EGO: Deep down there is a part of you that wants to stay stuck in your same cycle of habits. That part of you wants to stay conditioned because it’s easy- it’s not fulfilling, or joyful, but it’s easy and it doesn’t take a lot of discipline, self-awareness, or critical thought. This part of you justifies that you “deserve” it, but doesn’t take into account your goals for becoming your highest self.
4. How will I feel after? Will I feel pleasure, more energetic, guilty, out of control? A typical cycle may be: pleasure at first, then a sense of being out of control, then guilty, then later experiencing a sugar crash. You may convince yourself you can eat just one, but your body may get primed and want more junky “food.”
5. How will I feel if I take the opposite/higher action that is in line with my values and goals? Disciplined, clean, healthy, guilt-free, free from conditioning, one step closer to my goals.
6. More importantly! Assuming I am not actually physically hungry, and I don’t want to struggle with this anymore…
What can I do to make this better for myself the next time around? How can I replace this behavior with a better one that lines up with my goals– how can I recondition myself?
This is an opportunity to choose a new behavior. Many suggestions include choosing a better food– but we’re going to take it to the next level, push our discipline, and use this for growth. Challenge yourself to choose an action that has nothing to do with eating or nutrition. Instead, use this as an opportunity to make progress in another realm of your life. Meditation, Yoga, stretching, doing pushups, squats, lunges, pullups, reading, prayer, writing, studying, finishing tasks and tackling things you procrastinate on, playing a musical instrument, and catering to your relationships can all help channel your energy into something more productive. Any activity that you see in line with your highest self is a fruitful endeavors that will give you a sense of accomplishment, and help you to fade out the unwanted behavior.
Slowly but surely, by choosing new behaviors in your minor day-to-day struggles, you will makeover your lifestyle to align with your goals.
The Facts:
Just to pound it home, sugar is not the solution.
Current emotional constructs surrounding sugar are as follows: happy happy joy joy, smiling children, colorful foods.. the media has hyped up high-sugar content foods because they are CHEAP and they are ADDICTING.
Sodas, candy, and other packaged confections are a cocktail of chemicals and highly processed “food stuff.” White sugar adds calories, while non-calorie sweeteners make chemical changes in the brain resulting in desire for more sweet foods at the most innocent, and migraines and cancer at its most heinous. Just because they are in foods doesn’t mean they’re innocent: Aspartame was rejected multiple times before finally getting slight approval, and that’s only because the person trying to pass it got into the organization.
Nutritional life is much easier when you steer clear of sugary foods, and the habits and influences that had you eating them in the first place.
Suggested Readings:
Skinny Bitch – Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
Food Rules – Michael Pollan
http://www.womens-wellbeing-and-mental-health.com/Premenstrual-Cravings.html
Even the word “darkness” can invoke a twinge of unease that we may not be conscious of. Yet we all have what some writers have coined a “shadow self.” The great thing is, when you shed light on the aspects of yourself that bring you guilt, shame, embarassment, or anger, you have conquered them. Simply by awareness, you can bring yourself freedom.
Today’s practice:
Listen intently to things you don’t want to hear.
You may do this by:
Paying attention to ideas and concepts of yourself that you shy away from
Paying attention to things that offend or disgust you
Not shying away from things that disgust you
Writing a list of words you can’t stand and reading it
Listening to people you consider annoying, irritating
Acknowledging some of your bad habits e.g. I am a smoker, I am overweight, I can’t control my eating (but remember to please do this with AWARENESS and peace, not judgement- judgment will force you to become defensive or shy away from admitting these things to yourself.)
Sit with these words, concepts, or feelings for a while today.
Feel the sensations of anger or discomfort. When you feel the urge to “turn away” – whether that is in your head or actually with your head- don’t. Be conscious of the tightness in your body. Your throat, your back, and your shoulders may get tight and tingly. The point here is to allow the feelings to come over you, become aware of them, and let them be.
The Payoff: Freedom
You will feel a sense of lightness from becoming aware of the subtle negative energy that has been captured in the things you reject. Pushing them away and denying their existence hinders your growth process. When you bring them to light, you are bringing them to you, accepting them as part of what made you who you are.
More importantly, you are opening up to your excuses. When you are aware of what’s holding you back instead of turning away from it, you are able to make the changes that will lead to the person you know you could be.
The Problem With Cheat Meals
Posted on: September 17, 2012
The body can be either like a well trained puppy or a defiant, mischievous child.
Choose your highest vision of yourself, and train it well.
Chances are you have conditioned your body to expect you to allow it some pretty unhealthy behaviors. If so, chances are even higher that those behaviors don’t exactly line up with your ideal vision of yourself. Just as a dog expects a treat after a walk, for example, your body is obedient. It remembers how you have treated it, not only in physical manifestation (i.e. excess fat is there to pop out and say, “I remember how you ate!”) but also in neural connections (i.e. false hunger cravings, like, “after dinner, we want dessert.”). Now, get ready for the big stick of responsibility here — you taught it that. I promise you, after a vitamin-efficient serving of vegetables, your body doesn’t want white sugar-laden dairy lard. That isn’t a natural response.
Have you ever seen comics about training a dog? The one where it says, Week 1: Dog is not allowed in bedroom or kitchen, and Week 5 ends with the dog eating at the table and sleeping on your pillow? That is precisely what happens with your body. Letting it do something sporadically is confusing. Saying you want sexy abs and those little back dimples is contradicted when you allow the behavior of fiending on “just one (aka 3)” pastries at work. All your actions- no “little” exceptions- should line up with your declared goals.
But.. I DESERVE it, don’t I?
Ah, I knew he’d come out. Let me introduce you to your inner child. No, not the playful, reminiscent, joyous, lighthearted child. THIS child is not our friend. I call mine “The Brat.” My Inner Brat does not want me to be the epitome of health and fitness that I want to see myself as . The inner brat wants me to stuff my face with sugar, fat, and simple carbohydrates despite not being hungry and having no nutritional value. My inner brat did not want see me conquer emotional eating. It likes you when you are not at your highest potential because it gets what it wants. It wants to keep you the way you are so it can keep complaining, stay undisciplined, and never reach your goals. It is essentially the way your ego self-handicaps you from becoming the real you. Your body will go along with him at first, mimicking him by sending you false hunger symptoms. But it quite literally is all in your head, in your neural connections that you have solidified by giving in to The Brat. If you sit silently and listen deeper than the whining of your brat, you will realize your body sits quietly and needs nothing.
The best way to approach this is by patting the little brat on the head, taking reigns and realize YOU know what’s best for yourself, just as a parent knows what’s best for its child. A parent wouldn’t let a child run out into the street– why would you let your Brat decide the fate of your health? Your body is the victim here. Your body knows when it is being neglected, mistreated, or judged unfairly. Love it, and show it you care for it by making fit, clean decisions.
Giving in “once in a while” to habits that go against your goals sets your mind-body connection to random. Aligning your behavior patterns with your highest goals in mind sets you up for success. Aligning your actions with your best self is the simplest way to health- and your best you.
Take Home Practices:
“Am I doing this to cope with something emotionally?” or “Is it my body that wants this, or is my inner brat just used to getting it? Does it make me closer to my goals?”
“What are the excuses I’m telling myself right now?”
My favorite: “What would my ideal self do right now?” (e.g. “What would my personal trainer self do?” “What would my health guru self do?”)
Suggested Reading:
“How Successful People Think” – John C. Maxwell
“Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul” – Deepak Chopra
Headstrong Health: The Psychology of Getting Fit 