Hey Reader,
You start strong with your new diet plan on Monday, but by Friday, you're binging on every food you swore off on Monday.....
If this is you, learn why you can't stick to your plan and how to change it.
"The secret of permanently breaking any bad habit is to love something greater than any habit." Bryant McGill
You're Relying on Willpower
Willpower is a finite resource. Relying on willpower is the surest way to encounter sabotage while trying to implement change.
Subconsciously driven cues dictate 95% of your daily routine . Habits are actions you implement without thinking and are formed throughout life through a series of experiences and beliefs instilled from our culture, community, and families.
Ever get to work, and you don't even remember driving there? You can thank your subconscious mind for that. Your brain memorizes patterns you repeat regularly, allowing you to function on autopilot while reserving " brain energy."
Overriding the subconscious mind and habits you have created can not be done with sheer willpower. Hardwired habits are the brain's way of "protecting" you from danger. Every habit is reinforced by chemical/ hormonal changes in the body.
See a puppy; dopamine, a pleasure hormone, is released, reinforcing your love for animals as the hormone promotes feelings of happiness.
Can't stop eating donuts? This is another dopamine-inducing activity that hard-wires your donut habit.
Willpower can not change your biological responses to habits. Read on to find out what will.
Add Something New
Instead of trying to remove something from your routine you don't like, try adding something that will promote a new chemical message to your body " hardwiring " the new action.
Example: You love eating donuts for breakfast. Instead of banishing them forever, add 5 oz of protein before eating them. Adding protein will reduce your cravings for sweets and blunt the dopamine rush you get from the donut. Over time, you will crave the protein more than the donut.
In this example, you didn't swear off donuts at all, but you allowed your body to experience a new signal that creates a new, healthier habit when repeated. Less friction, more momentum.
" Your beliefs become your biology, which drives your food and lifestyle choices. To change your habits, you must start with your thoughts about yourself." Angie Wisdom Stastny RDN
Societal Pressures and Beliefs