DOCTOR'S BLOG
Brain Hack for Weight Loss
Read the first two in this series:
The Most Important Thing about Trying to Lose Weight
Understand Your Why
I really believe most of us can do just about anything when we put our minds to it. Now, I am not talking about crazy things that are physically impossible like flapping our arms to land on the moon. It is a matter of focus and what we focus on.
In recent blogs, I have written about the importance of deciding to do something and then having a compelling vision of your future. This compelling vision should help you overcome in times of struggles, and the struggles always come.
Today, I want to give you a simple brain hack to help you in your struggles in the moment. But first, let’s talk about some ways to prevent getting into struggles.
Why is it we often find ourselves dwelling on the things we are trying to avoid? Adam and Eve had acres of good trees to choose from, but they seemed to focus on the forbidden fruit.
My friend Rick Thompson tells a story about teaching his young son to ride a bike. He found an open parking lot on a weekend that was huge, but it had a couple of light poles in the middle of the lot. His son kept saying he was afraid he would hit the light pole. Now, there were literally acres of parking lot free from the light poles. But what do you think happened? His son went straight for the light pole!
The truth is our energy will flow to where we focus. If you are trying to lose weight and you are constantly thinking about food, where do you think you will end up? Probably at the refrigerator or the cabinet where the chips and cookies are.
The Bible encourages us to dwell on what is good and pure and noble. Keep thinking about your preferred future. How will you feel when you drop the weight? How much more energy will you have? How will your self-image change? Write down your goals and benefits and review them daily. Get on the scale every morning and decide tomorrow will be better. Make it happen!
When you are in the moment of a struggle, and you must decide between pain versus pleasure, now versus later, what can you do to improve your odds? Most of us have patterns we have developed over the years. Our spouses and close friends can often predict how we will react to a certain situation. It is the same with temptations of all kinds. We have thought patterns that usually lead to a behavioral reaction.
The key is to interrupt the thought patterns. We have to disrupt the routines of our neuropathways. It usually takes some energy and action.
One of the things I will do is simply get up and move. Get a drink of water or take a look out of the window. Do something to change my focus.
Our energy will follow our focus. Change your focus. I heard of one guy who would pinch his nose and make a noise. It disrupted his neuropathway and changed his focus. It helps if you immediately think of something funny or otherwise good. This will start changing your neuropathways and with time, the temptation will lose its grip on you.
Decide, create vision, focus on the good!
Wishing You an Amazing Life,
Curtis Brown MD
Read Part 4: A Simple Key to Success.
Understand Your Why
In a recent blog, The Most Important Thing about Trying to Lose Weight, I wrote about the most important thing for improving your health and losing weight: simply to decide to do so. Over the years, I have found those people who have succeeded have chosen to make it happen. They are proactive and take responsibility for their own health and weight loss goals.
Again, the concept is really simple. First you must decide! If you are thinking, I will do this when I have more time or money or my situation changes, chances are you will never take action. Most of us are like water: we tend to go to the level of least resistance.
Deciding is the first step. Deciding is the most important thing, but it is not everything. I have decided and have started many things only to give up in a few short days or weeks.
To really stay with it when things are a little tougher, you must have a compelling reason, a compelling why. Remember, we basically make decisions based off of pain versus pleasure.
For me to stick with something, even when it is painful, I must have a compelling vision of future benefit or pleasure. The scale must be tipped to the pleasure side for me to decide in the moment. Now the problem becomes in the moment; if I eat this now, I will have some pleasure and relief of pain. I must have a compelling vision of future benefits that outweigh the current situation. It has to have more attraction, more benefits in my mind, than my current situation.
People who are successful at losing weight understand delaying temporary pleasure for permanent results will ultimately give them more pleasure. So, you must get a clear vision of your future desires. What do you think it will feel like when you have reached your goals? What health benefits will you have obtained? How much more energy will you have? How much better will you feel about your body?
First, decide it is important. You cannot move beyond this until you know that you know it is important. Next, create in your mind a compelling future vision. Write it down. Keep a journal of your thoughts and desires. This vision must be strong and compelling. You will need to draw energy from it when you are tired. Set a goal with a timeline and tell someone. Better yet, team up with some friends and journey together to better health.
Wishing You an Amazing Life,
Curtis Brown MD