“Matt. I’m not hungry but I just eat anyway. I’m crap”
^^^ a message I got the other day after I spoked about beating hunger.
And it comes up a lot so don’t think you’re the only one who does this.
In fact, if you think about how food is used to celebrate, commiserate, beat boredom, socialise…it’s hardly surprising.
I mean, just like smokers know that smoking is bad for them…we all know that overeating isn’t healthy for us (bloating, carrying more fat, risk of Type 2 diabetes and other diseases, harder to move, low energy etc..)
But it’s harder said than done to change all of this.
So, why is this?
Well, scientists asked half the people in a study to push a button every time they saw an image on a computer screen. Each time they did this? An M &M or a crisp was ejected for them.
They then tested the part of the brain that anticipates the VALUE or REWARD of doing something.
Example, if you’re hungry, this part of the brain should say EAT (as the reward / value of event is high)
However, if you are full up / have just eaten, the value of the event decreases.
So, when they gave the M & Ms and crisps as a reward to the people for clicking an image when they were hungry, it was hardly surprising that this part of the brain was basically saying “eat it”.
But what happened when they gave these people a big meal before doing this? Surely, the antiquated reward should be down-regulated?
NO…
Their brains failed to say “don’t eat it”…even though they were full, showing how HABITS could be so powerful that you do things, like eat when you’re not hungry, without knowing.
3 things you can do to help improve your habits today?
1) Leave nothing out on your kitchen side apart from a fruit bowl (this might add a conscious action into your daily routine so you have to open a cupboard to eat something)
2) Write down what you eat today before you eat it
3) Think about the TIME that you usually eat when you’re not hungry and pick on of the following tasks instead:
a) Go for a walk
b) Ring a friend / family member you haven’t spoke to in a while
c) Write down 3 things you appreciate in your life today
Because -as you know – this weight loss, healthy eating and toning up stuff is more about ‘mind over matter’
And less about: cutting carbs..
It’s why I simplify this confusing mess of a health and fitness industry with 3 things:
1) A simple health eating plan you can follow even when you’re eating out (including a sample 3 -day meal plan and shopping list done for you if you need a kickstart and want to get results straight away)
2) Support from like-minded ladies and access to your own Registered Nutritionist (me) to help personalise this nutrition and fitness stuff for your lifestyle so you can stop blaming willpower (like they tell you)
3) Accountability – The ladies already joke that I’m like Big Brother 😂 but if helps you kickstart your habits and do the things you know you need to do to lose weight, tone up and fit back into your favourite clothes for good?
5 Spaces left.
If you feel this might be for you?
Have a look at some of the stories from the other ladies below and see if it is for you:
The Fit For Life Body Transformation
Matt