REWIRE YOUR FOOD BRAIN PROGRAM
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ROADBLOCKSThere are some factors that can commonly get in the way of making progress which I will cover below alongside some useful practical tips and guidance on how to circumnavigate them...
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ALCOHOL
I’m not pretending that alcohol is healthy but there are ways in which you can continue to enjoy a drink or two as part of a balanced and healthy way of eating and living.
If weight loss is a goal then you may want to minimise your intake or avoid alcohol altogether. This is because alcohol is processed by your liver and it's your liver that's also responsible for fat burning but your liver wll prioritise detoxing the alcohol and so this significantly slows down the rate at which you burn fat. In addition alcohol can add many empty calories to your daily intake making it hard to remain in a calorie deficit.
The other issue with alcohol is that it lowers your inhibitions and judgement around making sensible food choices. So the calories from the alcohol may not be so much of the problem as all the unhealthy food you eat as a result of drinking. You're also more likely to overeat as a result of consuming alcohol. Plus you will most likely feel less than optimal the following day, leading to further unhealthy food choices and more inclination to reach for sugar and refined carbs.
WHAT TO CHOOSE
If you're going to drink then it's best to order the most expensive wine you can afford. Not only will you be less likely to drink a lot (as it's going to cost more!) but by choosing the best you can really enjoy and savour it. Red wine has more health benefits that white wine or chamapgne (the latter being quite high in sugar) and, because it's not cold or fizzy, is easier to drink more slowly.
In terms of calorific value, the whiter, clearer spirits such as vodka, gin, whiskey and scotch are the better choices, ideally neat or with ice. It’s the mixers like cola, lemonade, ginger ale, tonic and fruit juices that you want to avoid, as these are high in calories and contains sugar or sweeteners. So yes I’m sorry to say that does mean hold off on the G&Ts!
Instead order a vodka, lime and soda or even vodka with cranberry juice is a better choice especially compared with high calorie cream-based drinks such as Bailey’s or Kahlua.
Wine is also a relatively healthy and a better choice than beer or fizzy drinks. Although it has more calories, wine has some proven health benefits particularly red wine as it contains the antioxidant resveratrol, which can lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol.
The only issue with red wine is that it can cause people to feel terrible post drinking it. Often this means waking up in the middle of the night and feeling terribly headachy and congested the next day. This is caused by the histamines and preservatives in the wine, which some people can’t tolerate, as they can cause an immune-like reaction in the body (which appears as headaches, itchiness, sinus congestion, runny nose etc).
Ultimately, find what works for your body. Personally, I find I do better with a glass of Pinot Noir than Shiraz, for example. If you still don’t tolerate red - swap to rosé.
HANDY TIPS
Moderation really is the key when it comes to alcohol. To help reduce your intake, have at least one or two glasses of water for each alcoholic drink to dilute the effects.
Eating before you drink is definitely a good idea - ideally something protein rich. Alcohol is absorbed through the stomach, so having some food will help slow down the rate at which the alcohol is absorbed and can prevent you from becoming drunk too quickly.
One great tip if you want to reduce or cut out alcohol is to have fizzy water or a healthier soft drink (such as fruit juice or even a small amount of cordial, diluted with fizzy water) but serve it in a wine glass.
Psychologically (by having it in a wine glass) it feels more like you’re having a ‘drink’ – it’s particularly effective if you’re out with friends or at a party and want to look and feel as though you’re taking part in the social aspect of drinking but without having the alcohol.
EATING OUT
In order for healthy eating to be sustainable and realistic you've got to be able to work it into your social life. As the saying goes, it's better to eat pizza with friends than salad alone!
Don't stress too much about food as your thoughts can manifest into physical and psychological stress. It's much healthier and better when eating out to just do the best you can to make the healthiest choices possible.
My top two tips for eating out are:
1. Be aware of how much food is ENOUGH - portion sizes in restaurants can be huge and perhaps not appropriate for you (i.e. they will give a man the same plate of food as to a woman) and you may feel pressure either socially or from the restaurant to order a starter, main and dessert as well as have the bread basket, cheese and petit-four to potentially contend with as well!
Ways around this are to order two starters or a side dish and a starter size dish for your main, instead of a starter and a main meal. And then order a tea or coffee instead of a dessert, or share a dessert. Slow down on drinking your alcoholic drink so that your glass doesn't keep getting topped up! Drink lots of water in between to stay hydrated and prevent drinking too much alcohol.
2. No-one's looking! If you're out with a group of people then realise that no-one else is paying attention to what you're eating or drinking. The food is just the facilitator to the occasion. No-one is going to notice or care if you leave food on your plate or don't drink as much as they do. Honestly people are depending far too much time thinking about themselves and their experience of what's going on to notice what you're doing and the more you focus on the people or person you're with the less important the food becomes.
Other practical tips for eating out whilst also being healthy:
Enjoy a protein rich snack before you go out - Eating protein before heading out will curb your hunger, and stop you from over eating.
Fresh is best - When you first pick up the menu, take a look at the salad section. When there are good greens and veggie options, you know you’re making a healthy choice. If salads are limited, check out the ‘sides’ – often you will find a garden salad, or steamed greens. These are perfect options for before, or during, your main meal
Grilled or steamed is best - These are the healthiest cooking methods
Choose your protein wisely - Base your main meal around grilled fish, chicken, or lean meat. If you're vegetarian then choose a veggie protein based main such as a curry, stir fry or soup or pile on the vegetable sides.
Say no to starch - If weight loss is a goal then hold off on rice, bread and potatoes. Instead, ask for extra veggies to keep you satisfied
Keep dressings and sauces to the side - If your meal is in need of a dressing, go for olive oil, balsamic and lemon-based dressings.
If all else fails or if you have limited or no choice over your meal then just practice portion control, and if you're having dessert then choose your favourite and really savour it - make it 100% worth it!
Follow the 80:20 approach (eat healthy 80% of the time and indulge guilt free for the other 20%). This allows wiggle room to indulge in the foods you enjoy and not feel deprived.
DIFFERENT CUISINES
INTERNATIONAL
Go for:
Lean protein (grilled, steamed or barbecued)
Green veggies or salad
Optional: Small serve of brown rice, quinoa or sweet
potato on the side
Ask for salad dressings on the side
Choose less: Fried foods and creamy dressings
CHINESE
Choose more:
Lean protein stir-frys
Colourful veggies (steamed or stir-fried)
Soup with rice noodles and protein
Choose less: Dumplings, spring rolls or fried meats
THAI
Choose more:
Lean protein
Asian veggies (e.g. bok choy and Chinese broccoli)
Steamed fish with ginger
Stir-fries made with lime, lemongrass, ginger, basil, chilli or garlic (sauce on the side)
Tom yum soup
Thai beef salad
Choose less: Spring rolls, chicken wings, Pad Thai, satay sauce
INDIAN
Go for:
Chicken tikka/tandoori chicken (oven-baked or grilled)
Veggies
Brown, jasmine or basmati rice
Roti
Choose less: Creamy curries and deep fried foods
JAPANESE
Go for:
Miso soup
Edamame
Sashimi
Choose less: Tempura dishes and teriyaki sauce
ITALIAN
Go for:
Grilled chicken/veal/steak
Steamed or grilled veggies
Salads
Choose thin, gluten-free pizza bases topped with loads of veggies, and ask for less cheese
Choose less: Creamy pasta dishes or anything with lots of cheese
Don't stress too much about food as your thoughts can manifest into physical and psychological stress. It's much healthier and better when eating out to just do the best you can to make the healthiest choices possible.
My top two tips for eating out are:
1. Be aware of how much food is ENOUGH - portion sizes in restaurants can be huge and perhaps not appropriate for you (i.e. they will give a man the same plate of food as to a woman) and you may feel pressure either socially or from the restaurant to order a starter, main and dessert as well as have the bread basket, cheese and petit-four to potentially contend with as well!
Ways around this are to order two starters or a side dish and a starter size dish for your main, instead of a starter and a main meal. And then order a tea or coffee instead of a dessert, or share a dessert. Slow down on drinking your alcoholic drink so that your glass doesn't keep getting topped up! Drink lots of water in between to stay hydrated and prevent drinking too much alcohol.
2. No-one's looking! If you're out with a group of people then realise that no-one else is paying attention to what you're eating or drinking. The food is just the facilitator to the occasion. No-one is going to notice or care if you leave food on your plate or don't drink as much as they do. Honestly people are depending far too much time thinking about themselves and their experience of what's going on to notice what you're doing and the more you focus on the people or person you're with the less important the food becomes.
Other practical tips for eating out whilst also being healthy:
Enjoy a protein rich snack before you go out - Eating protein before heading out will curb your hunger, and stop you from over eating.
Fresh is best - When you first pick up the menu, take a look at the salad section. When there are good greens and veggie options, you know you’re making a healthy choice. If salads are limited, check out the ‘sides’ – often you will find a garden salad, or steamed greens. These are perfect options for before, or during, your main meal
Grilled or steamed is best - These are the healthiest cooking methods
Choose your protein wisely - Base your main meal around grilled fish, chicken, or lean meat. If you're vegetarian then choose a veggie protein based main such as a curry, stir fry or soup or pile on the vegetable sides.
Say no to starch - If weight loss is a goal then hold off on rice, bread and potatoes. Instead, ask for extra veggies to keep you satisfied
Keep dressings and sauces to the side - If your meal is in need of a dressing, go for olive oil, balsamic and lemon-based dressings.
If all else fails or if you have limited or no choice over your meal then just practice portion control, and if you're having dessert then choose your favourite and really savour it - make it 100% worth it!
Follow the 80:20 approach (eat healthy 80% of the time and indulge guilt free for the other 20%). This allows wiggle room to indulge in the foods you enjoy and not feel deprived.
DIFFERENT CUISINES
INTERNATIONAL
Go for:
Lean protein (grilled, steamed or barbecued)
Green veggies or salad
Optional: Small serve of brown rice, quinoa or sweet
potato on the side
Ask for salad dressings on the side
Choose less: Fried foods and creamy dressings
CHINESE
Choose more:
Lean protein stir-frys
Colourful veggies (steamed or stir-fried)
Soup with rice noodles and protein
Choose less: Dumplings, spring rolls or fried meats
THAI
Choose more:
Lean protein
Asian veggies (e.g. bok choy and Chinese broccoli)
Steamed fish with ginger
Stir-fries made with lime, lemongrass, ginger, basil, chilli or garlic (sauce on the side)
Tom yum soup
Thai beef salad
Choose less: Spring rolls, chicken wings, Pad Thai, satay sauce
INDIAN
Go for:
Chicken tikka/tandoori chicken (oven-baked or grilled)
Veggies
Brown, jasmine or basmati rice
Roti
Choose less: Creamy curries and deep fried foods
JAPANESE
Go for:
Miso soup
Edamame
Sashimi
Choose less: Tempura dishes and teriyaki sauce
ITALIAN
Go for:
Grilled chicken/veal/steak
Steamed or grilled veggies
Salads
Choose thin, gluten-free pizza bases topped with loads of veggies, and ask for less cheese
Choose less: Creamy pasta dishes or anything with lots of cheese
HOLIDAYS
Healthy eating while on holiday can be quite challenging but you can make positive food choices and it mostly comes down to thinking ahead a bit.
When on holiday stick to your everyday healthy habits as much as you can – allowing some wiggle room with an 80/20 approach which gives you balance and prevents any feeling of restriction or deprivation. If your options are limited then just do the best you can.
Above all remember, it's about what you do most of the time that counts. A one week holiday in the grand scheme of things is not going to be the thing that makes the most difference in the long run.
HEALTHY EATING ON HOLIDAY & WHEN TRAVELLING
For the airport/plane pack or buy healthy snacks that are travel-friendly including: fruit, nuts, berries, dates stuffed with nut butter or seeds, sliced veggies, an apple, rice cakes with almond butter, a raw bar or homemade sugar free protein balls.
Hydration cannot be emphasised enough, especially when traveling by plane. This prevents water retention and other issues associated with dehydration (such as constipation) while you're away
Drink 2 litres of water a day while away especially if you’re regularly drinking alcohol
Include veggies and salads at each meal wherever possible
Don’t let one splurge spiral you out of control – savour it then move on. One helpful rule to follow is to follow any unhealthy choice with a healthy one
If drinking alcohol then avoid sugar-filled cocktails and choose red wine or vodka, lime and soda
Eating slower and enjoy your food and you'll find you feel more satisfied by eating less
Let go of guilt. Enjoy it and then go back to eating well at the next soonest opportunity
SUPPLEMENTS FOR TRAVELLING
When on holiday stick to your everyday healthy habits as much as you can – allowing some wiggle room with an 80/20 approach which gives you balance and prevents any feeling of restriction or deprivation. If your options are limited then just do the best you can.
Above all remember, it's about what you do most of the time that counts. A one week holiday in the grand scheme of things is not going to be the thing that makes the most difference in the long run.
HEALTHY EATING ON HOLIDAY & WHEN TRAVELLING
For the airport/plane pack or buy healthy snacks that are travel-friendly including: fruit, nuts, berries, dates stuffed with nut butter or seeds, sliced veggies, an apple, rice cakes with almond butter, a raw bar or homemade sugar free protein balls.
Hydration cannot be emphasised enough, especially when traveling by plane. This prevents water retention and other issues associated with dehydration (such as constipation) while you're away
Drink 2 litres of water a day while away especially if you’re regularly drinking alcohol
Include veggies and salads at each meal wherever possible
Don’t let one splurge spiral you out of control – savour it then move on. One helpful rule to follow is to follow any unhealthy choice with a healthy one
If drinking alcohol then avoid sugar-filled cocktails and choose red wine or vodka, lime and soda
Eating slower and enjoy your food and you'll find you feel more satisfied by eating less
Let go of guilt. Enjoy it and then go back to eating well at the next soonest opportunity
SUPPLEMENTS FOR TRAVELLING
- B-vitamin complex for energy, stamina and jet lag recovery
- Zinc Picolinate capsules, spirulina capsules and Vitamin C powder to keep your immune system strong and for energy
- Digestive enzyme, probiotic and magnesium for gut health and to help keep the digestive system robust in order to prevent constipation or food poisoning, support digestion and reduce "travel bloat"
TRIGGERS
One roadblock that can really get in the way of long-term success is any trigger that elicits unnecessary eating.
WHAT ARE TRIGGERS?
Triggers can be any event or stimulus that comes from the environment, or thoughts, feelings, and emotions that come from your brain. Some triggers are really obvious whereas others may be trickier to identify, but psychologists have found that they tend to fall into one of the following five categories:
1. Environment - e.g. particular situations, places, adverts or images of food or actual food
2. People - e.g. certain individuals, being alone, particular groups of people
3. Emotional State - e.g. anger, loneliness, happiness, anxiety, stress, boredom, procrastination
4. A Preceding Action or Thought - e.g. always having something sweet after dinner or just having thoughts about food leading you to eat
5. Time of Day - e.g. when you get home from work, or from the school run or after the children are in bed
The main thing to understand is that the trigger initiates a behaviour which then leads to some type of reward. This is the foundation of how habits are formed and this basic process (or habit loop as it's otherwise known) looks like this:
Trigger > Behaviour > Reward
So for example: in the evening you put the kids to bed (<--trigger) then come downstairs, sit down and start eating chocolate (<--behaviour) which makes you feel good/relaxed (<--reward)
Identifying your triggers is one of the first steps in changing or breaking eating habits that you no longer want to continue.
Spend a few minutes thinking about what your personal triggers are. What's your "Achilles heel" when it comes to food?
Does talking to your mother or your mother-in-law send you running to the biscuit tin? Perhaps you have a vulnerable time of day when you're more likely to make poor food choices? Maybe it's simply the sight of the cake or sweets in the office that makes you want to eat them?
Identifying your triggers will help you notice patterns in your thoughts and behaviour, and the beauty of this awareness is that you can then plan for what you will do instead.
TAKE ACTION
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE WORKSHEET to help you identify your triggers for unnecessary eating and plan what to do the next time you encounter it.
WHAT ARE TRIGGERS?
Triggers can be any event or stimulus that comes from the environment, or thoughts, feelings, and emotions that come from your brain. Some triggers are really obvious whereas others may be trickier to identify, but psychologists have found that they tend to fall into one of the following five categories:
1. Environment - e.g. particular situations, places, adverts or images of food or actual food
2. People - e.g. certain individuals, being alone, particular groups of people
3. Emotional State - e.g. anger, loneliness, happiness, anxiety, stress, boredom, procrastination
4. A Preceding Action or Thought - e.g. always having something sweet after dinner or just having thoughts about food leading you to eat
5. Time of Day - e.g. when you get home from work, or from the school run or after the children are in bed
The main thing to understand is that the trigger initiates a behaviour which then leads to some type of reward. This is the foundation of how habits are formed and this basic process (or habit loop as it's otherwise known) looks like this:
Trigger > Behaviour > Reward
So for example: in the evening you put the kids to bed (<--trigger) then come downstairs, sit down and start eating chocolate (<--behaviour) which makes you feel good/relaxed (<--reward)
Identifying your triggers is one of the first steps in changing or breaking eating habits that you no longer want to continue.
Spend a few minutes thinking about what your personal triggers are. What's your "Achilles heel" when it comes to food?
Does talking to your mother or your mother-in-law send you running to the biscuit tin? Perhaps you have a vulnerable time of day when you're more likely to make poor food choices? Maybe it's simply the sight of the cake or sweets in the office that makes you want to eat them?
Identifying your triggers will help you notice patterns in your thoughts and behaviour, and the beauty of this awareness is that you can then plan for what you will do instead.
TAKE ACTION
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE WORKSHEET to help you identify your triggers for unnecessary eating and plan what to do the next time you encounter it.
SELF-SABOTAGE
Two little words can destroy all your efforts of eating healthily:
"I deserve"
You know what I'm talking about.
"I went to the gym so I deserve the cake"
"I've been good all day, I deserve a treat"
This is classic self-sabotaging behaviour and in psychology it's referred to as "moral licensing". This is all about the fact that you give yourself permission to do something "bad" because you've been "good".
In this way moral licensing ends up being a bit like a loophole - allowing us to wriggle out of successfully establishing new habits by helping us justify our behaviour.
This is one of the reasons why it's so important not to moralise foods, our behaviours or choices as "good" or "bad" (as we discussed when we talked about Diet Mentality), but eating spinach doesn't make you a good person, just like eating cake doesn't make you a bad person. However it we think of ourselves as being "good" then we feel virtuous which gives us justification to be "bad" later on (and also causes us to judge ourselves negatively when we're "bad").
The good news is that there is power in simply knowing what moral licensing is and means we can be aware of catching ourselves in the act of doing it through our thoughts and/or words. You're effectively "in on the joke" which makes it much harder to then engage in the behaviour.
BUILD ON PROGRESS
You can break the effects of moral licensing by remembering that the reason you're eating healthy foods is because you enjoy them and the outcomes of healthy eating (energy, weight loss etc), not because they're good for you and you "should" eat them.
Remember that making certain for choices is not about being "good" or "bad but is about a commitment to your underlying goal(s). In the case of the healthier eating (or exercise) every action you take is a step on a journey towards your goal.
When you do something that is in line with that goal (e.g. have a healthy breakfast and go for a walk) then the thinking should not be that you've done something good and so therefore deserve something "bad" a reward. Instead recognise the steps you've made towards your goal and ask yourself what you can do next to build on that progress.
MAKE IT PART OF YOUR IDENTITY
Linking back in the with the self-identity section from the beginning of the Rewire Program, this is about deciding you are the type of person who wants to do the actions aligned with your goal(s).
If you go around thinking you're someone who's lazy or self-indulgent and can't be bothered most of the time to take care of your health, then consistently making positive food choices will be a continuous struggle and you'll always be looking for ways to "get away with" unhealthy behaviours that undermine your efforts. And healthy eating won't feel like "an effort" when you integrate it as part of who you are and what you do, most of the time.
"I deserve"
You know what I'm talking about.
"I went to the gym so I deserve the cake"
"I've been good all day, I deserve a treat"
This is classic self-sabotaging behaviour and in psychology it's referred to as "moral licensing". This is all about the fact that you give yourself permission to do something "bad" because you've been "good".
In this way moral licensing ends up being a bit like a loophole - allowing us to wriggle out of successfully establishing new habits by helping us justify our behaviour.
This is one of the reasons why it's so important not to moralise foods, our behaviours or choices as "good" or "bad" (as we discussed when we talked about Diet Mentality), but eating spinach doesn't make you a good person, just like eating cake doesn't make you a bad person. However it we think of ourselves as being "good" then we feel virtuous which gives us justification to be "bad" later on (and also causes us to judge ourselves negatively when we're "bad").
The good news is that there is power in simply knowing what moral licensing is and means we can be aware of catching ourselves in the act of doing it through our thoughts and/or words. You're effectively "in on the joke" which makes it much harder to then engage in the behaviour.
BUILD ON PROGRESS
You can break the effects of moral licensing by remembering that the reason you're eating healthy foods is because you enjoy them and the outcomes of healthy eating (energy, weight loss etc), not because they're good for you and you "should" eat them.
Remember that making certain for choices is not about being "good" or "bad but is about a commitment to your underlying goal(s). In the case of the healthier eating (or exercise) every action you take is a step on a journey towards your goal.
When you do something that is in line with that goal (e.g. have a healthy breakfast and go for a walk) then the thinking should not be that you've done something good and so therefore deserve something "bad" a reward. Instead recognise the steps you've made towards your goal and ask yourself what you can do next to build on that progress.
MAKE IT PART OF YOUR IDENTITY
Linking back in the with the self-identity section from the beginning of the Rewire Program, this is about deciding you are the type of person who wants to do the actions aligned with your goal(s).
If you go around thinking you're someone who's lazy or self-indulgent and can't be bothered most of the time to take care of your health, then consistently making positive food choices will be a continuous struggle and you'll always be looking for ways to "get away with" unhealthy behaviours that undermine your efforts. And healthy eating won't feel like "an effort" when you integrate it as part of who you are and what you do, most of the time.
STRESS
It's really important to accept that things will inevitably go wrong at some point, so it's not a matter of if but when.
Everyone, even the most committed pro-athletes, slip up at some point so knowing it's ok and accepting that it will happen can help you feel less thrown off when it happens.
Just as we discussed back in Week 1, failure is normal and all part of paving the road to success. What can help though is having insight into what failure might look like so you can plan for it and prevent it from completely throwing you off track.
You've probably realised by now that the following factors will be a large contributor (if not the main reason) why things can go pear-shaped when it comes to sticking to healthy habits:
Tiredness / Lack of sleep
Lack of Time / Being too busy
Alcohol / Being hungover
Getting too hungry
Stress
We cover all of these throughout the program and so here we're going to talk more about stress, including practical techniques not just on how to manage stress but also reduce it.
STRESS & YOUR BRAIN
One of the most important things to know is that in times of stress, the brain will take the easiest path in order to expend as little energy as possible on making decisions, and so your brain will revert to default mode (i.e. your habits).
What tends to happen for most people is that they approach healthy eating as a diet or basically a thing to do for a fixed period of time in order to achieve a specific goal (normally weight loss) until such a time as they've either achieved that goal or something happens (normally one of the five factors above).
This is why it's so key to create a way of eating that's healthy by default so that it becomes your new normal, what you do MOST OF THE TIME, despite life throwing a stress curveball at you.
Better yet, when you can manage your stress and also reduce your stress load, you can make a real difference to maintaining healthy eating habits.
THE #1 STRESS HORMONE
The main stress hormone is cortisol which is secreted by the adrenal glands. We have a natural fluctuation of cortisol throughout the day - it's high in the morning when we need the energy to get up and go and (in the absence of excess stress) it naturally declines so that at the end of the day our body is winding down ready for bed. This is why stress (e.g. watching a thriller/horror movie) or exercising in the evening isn't a good idea as it ramps up our cortisol and can disrupt sleep.
Cortisol (and also adrenaline) is released whenever we have the fight or flight response so acute short term stress is normal and actually healthy (in fact it helps increase our metabolic rate and burn fat). However low level chronic (long term) stress is harmful to our health e.g. traffic jams, work stress, rushing around, over-exercising etc. This leads to a slow "drip drip drip" of cortisol into our system leading to decreased metabolic rate and weight gain (especially around the waist area) as well as depleting our energy and immune system.
Extreme dieting can also cause this same stress response and it can end up causing proteolysis (break down of muscle rather than fat) which leads to weight loss resistance. These factors explains why for some women it seems to get harder and harder to lose weight as they get older i.e. due to ongoing stress plus a history of yo-yo dieting.
Stress can also cause hormone imbalances which can result in a dominance of oestrogen. This again causes less muscle definition and makes it much harder to lose weight.
Stress therefore has a huge impact on our health and weight and so both managing and reducing stress is extremely important.
So how do we do it?
THE ANTIDOTE TO STRESS
Activating your parasympathetic sympathetic nervous system (PNS) is the key to reducing and managing stress, The PNS is like the brake on a car - it helps slow everything down or even bring it to a stop. The PNS promotes the rest and digest response that calms the body down.
The PNS is activated when there's no danger or threat. It's you switching OFF and it can be achieved through activities such as:
Sleep
Rest
Relaxation
Simple breathing exercises
Meditation |(if you're new to meditation try the Headspace App)
Dancing
Exercise
Sex
Yoga
Massage/Spa treatment
Listening to music
Any activity where your mind can "switch off" - gardening, colouring-in, knitting, sewing, playing a musical instrument, doing a puzzle etc.
GOOD FOOD, GOOD MOOD
Increasing our happy hormones helps make us more resilient to stressors. Serotonin is one of the main "happy hormones" and your body produce about 95 percent of your serotonin in your gut. There are strong links between your gut health and and mental health (known in science as the gut/brain axis) and so optimising your digestive system is fundamental to overall health.
Research suggests that people who have higher levels of good bacteria in their digestive tract experience lower anxiety, lower stress and improved mental outlooks. Therefore including as many whole, unprocessed foods as possible will help make you more resilient to stress and anxiety.
Our brains require a constant supply of fuel and the foods we eat directly influence the structure and function of our brain, as well as our mood. When we eat high-quality, nourishing foods that contain lots of vitamins and minerals, our brains function best. Alternatively, when we eat processed and refined foods, they promote inflammation, oxidative stress and mood disorders, as well as increased anxiety, overwhelm and stress.
TAKE ACTION
Choose ONE thing you can do this week to help you switch off or more effectively manage your stress levels. Aim to include it as part of your routine so it becomes integral to your day/week.
Everyone, even the most committed pro-athletes, slip up at some point so knowing it's ok and accepting that it will happen can help you feel less thrown off when it happens.
Just as we discussed back in Week 1, failure is normal and all part of paving the road to success. What can help though is having insight into what failure might look like so you can plan for it and prevent it from completely throwing you off track.
You've probably realised by now that the following factors will be a large contributor (if not the main reason) why things can go pear-shaped when it comes to sticking to healthy habits:
Tiredness / Lack of sleep
Lack of Time / Being too busy
Alcohol / Being hungover
Getting too hungry
Stress
We cover all of these throughout the program and so here we're going to talk more about stress, including practical techniques not just on how to manage stress but also reduce it.
STRESS & YOUR BRAIN
One of the most important things to know is that in times of stress, the brain will take the easiest path in order to expend as little energy as possible on making decisions, and so your brain will revert to default mode (i.e. your habits).
What tends to happen for most people is that they approach healthy eating as a diet or basically a thing to do for a fixed period of time in order to achieve a specific goal (normally weight loss) until such a time as they've either achieved that goal or something happens (normally one of the five factors above).
This is why it's so key to create a way of eating that's healthy by default so that it becomes your new normal, what you do MOST OF THE TIME, despite life throwing a stress curveball at you.
Better yet, when you can manage your stress and also reduce your stress load, you can make a real difference to maintaining healthy eating habits.
THE #1 STRESS HORMONE
The main stress hormone is cortisol which is secreted by the adrenal glands. We have a natural fluctuation of cortisol throughout the day - it's high in the morning when we need the energy to get up and go and (in the absence of excess stress) it naturally declines so that at the end of the day our body is winding down ready for bed. This is why stress (e.g. watching a thriller/horror movie) or exercising in the evening isn't a good idea as it ramps up our cortisol and can disrupt sleep.
Cortisol (and also adrenaline) is released whenever we have the fight or flight response so acute short term stress is normal and actually healthy (in fact it helps increase our metabolic rate and burn fat). However low level chronic (long term) stress is harmful to our health e.g. traffic jams, work stress, rushing around, over-exercising etc. This leads to a slow "drip drip drip" of cortisol into our system leading to decreased metabolic rate and weight gain (especially around the waist area) as well as depleting our energy and immune system.
Extreme dieting can also cause this same stress response and it can end up causing proteolysis (break down of muscle rather than fat) which leads to weight loss resistance. These factors explains why for some women it seems to get harder and harder to lose weight as they get older i.e. due to ongoing stress plus a history of yo-yo dieting.
Stress can also cause hormone imbalances which can result in a dominance of oestrogen. This again causes less muscle definition and makes it much harder to lose weight.
Stress therefore has a huge impact on our health and weight and so both managing and reducing stress is extremely important.
So how do we do it?
THE ANTIDOTE TO STRESS
Activating your parasympathetic sympathetic nervous system (PNS) is the key to reducing and managing stress, The PNS is like the brake on a car - it helps slow everything down or even bring it to a stop. The PNS promotes the rest and digest response that calms the body down.
The PNS is activated when there's no danger or threat. It's you switching OFF and it can be achieved through activities such as:
Sleep
Rest
Relaxation
Simple breathing exercises
Meditation |(if you're new to meditation try the Headspace App)
Dancing
Exercise
Sex
Yoga
Massage/Spa treatment
Listening to music
Any activity where your mind can "switch off" - gardening, colouring-in, knitting, sewing, playing a musical instrument, doing a puzzle etc.
GOOD FOOD, GOOD MOOD
Increasing our happy hormones helps make us more resilient to stressors. Serotonin is one of the main "happy hormones" and your body produce about 95 percent of your serotonin in your gut. There are strong links between your gut health and and mental health (known in science as the gut/brain axis) and so optimising your digestive system is fundamental to overall health.
Research suggests that people who have higher levels of good bacteria in their digestive tract experience lower anxiety, lower stress and improved mental outlooks. Therefore including as many whole, unprocessed foods as possible will help make you more resilient to stress and anxiety.
Our brains require a constant supply of fuel and the foods we eat directly influence the structure and function of our brain, as well as our mood. When we eat high-quality, nourishing foods that contain lots of vitamins and minerals, our brains function best. Alternatively, when we eat processed and refined foods, they promote inflammation, oxidative stress and mood disorders, as well as increased anxiety, overwhelm and stress.
TAKE ACTION
Choose ONE thing you can do this week to help you switch off or more effectively manage your stress levels. Aim to include it as part of your routine so it becomes integral to your day/week.
WEIGHT LOSS RESISTANCE
If weight loss is a goal and you are finding that you're not losing weight despite eating healthily then there are several factors that you may need to consider which I'll cover here.
PORTION SIZES
This is one of the most common reasons - you're simply consuming more food that your body needs. Serve yourself smaller portions and notice that you are probably fine to eat less than you think you need. Tune into hunger and fullness cues. Check in with yourself how much food is "enough". You can enjoy food without having to stuff yourself.
TOO MANY CALORIES
All too often we can get focused on eating healthily but not appreciate that some foods can also be loaded with calories making it easy to overdo our intake and leading to weight gain or difficulty losing weight.
For example, you may think you’re being healthy by loading up your toast with nut butter, snacking on a tub of hummous or swapping sweets for dried fruit such as raisins or dates. However, if you’re not careful then for comparatively little food you can end up consuming a huge number of calories.
It's undeniable that creating a calorie deficit leads to weight loss for the majority of people. However this doesn't mean going low on calories (most seem to think they need to consume 1200 calories which is way too low!) A calorie deficit of 10-15% is all you need for weight loss. Going lower than this will only cause you to lose water weight and muscle, which makes it far more likely that you'll re-gain the weight in the long run. When it comes to weight loss, slow and steady most definitely wins the race!
I certainly do not recommend long term calorie counting but it can be a useful exercise to track your calories for a few days of typical meals and snacks so that you get a sense of your intake to ensure you're not over-doing it. If you would like me to calculate your personal calorie needs then just let me know.
NUTRIENT BALANCE
It can really help to skew your food intake in favour of non starchy vegetables, salads and protein. Doing so will help keep you fuller for longer and make it much easier to naturally be in a calorie deficit without feeling hungry or deprived. We're not talking Atkins here, as vegetables are vital for nutrients and fibre (which keeps your bowel movements regular). If you refer back to the weight loss plate infographic in the Strategy for Health section you will see how the protein component is larger than the wellness version of the infographic (the latter being more maintenance once you've lost weight).
Having starchy carbs at one meal a day for a few weeks can also help in terms of accelerating weight loss and keeping you motivated. At the other meals and snacks do not include starchy carbs - so base these on non starchy vegetables, salads, protein sources (eggs, yoghurt, meat, fish, seafood, tofu etc), fruit and healthy fats.
UNDERLYING MEDICAL REASONS
If you struggle to lose weight then it's worth eliminating any possibility of an underlying medical reason that is preventing you from losing weight, normally due to a hormone imbalance given that weight is regulated largely by hormones. This could be related to:
Your thyroid (often the case if you have a family history of hypothyroidism)
Oestrogen dominance (history of miscarriages or infertility or many years on the Pill)
Medications you're taking e.g. steroids, The Pill
UNDERLYING NUTRIENT IMBALANCE
Weight loss can sometimes be hindered by nutrient deficiencies such as Vitamin D, B Vitamins such as B12, Omega 3 fatty acids so it may be worth testing for these.
PORTION SIZES
This is one of the most common reasons - you're simply consuming more food that your body needs. Serve yourself smaller portions and notice that you are probably fine to eat less than you think you need. Tune into hunger and fullness cues. Check in with yourself how much food is "enough". You can enjoy food without having to stuff yourself.
TOO MANY CALORIES
All too often we can get focused on eating healthily but not appreciate that some foods can also be loaded with calories making it easy to overdo our intake and leading to weight gain or difficulty losing weight.
For example, you may think you’re being healthy by loading up your toast with nut butter, snacking on a tub of hummous or swapping sweets for dried fruit such as raisins or dates. However, if you’re not careful then for comparatively little food you can end up consuming a huge number of calories.
It's undeniable that creating a calorie deficit leads to weight loss for the majority of people. However this doesn't mean going low on calories (most seem to think they need to consume 1200 calories which is way too low!) A calorie deficit of 10-15% is all you need for weight loss. Going lower than this will only cause you to lose water weight and muscle, which makes it far more likely that you'll re-gain the weight in the long run. When it comes to weight loss, slow and steady most definitely wins the race!
I certainly do not recommend long term calorie counting but it can be a useful exercise to track your calories for a few days of typical meals and snacks so that you get a sense of your intake to ensure you're not over-doing it. If you would like me to calculate your personal calorie needs then just let me know.
NUTRIENT BALANCE
It can really help to skew your food intake in favour of non starchy vegetables, salads and protein. Doing so will help keep you fuller for longer and make it much easier to naturally be in a calorie deficit without feeling hungry or deprived. We're not talking Atkins here, as vegetables are vital for nutrients and fibre (which keeps your bowel movements regular). If you refer back to the weight loss plate infographic in the Strategy for Health section you will see how the protein component is larger than the wellness version of the infographic (the latter being more maintenance once you've lost weight).
Having starchy carbs at one meal a day for a few weeks can also help in terms of accelerating weight loss and keeping you motivated. At the other meals and snacks do not include starchy carbs - so base these on non starchy vegetables, salads, protein sources (eggs, yoghurt, meat, fish, seafood, tofu etc), fruit and healthy fats.
UNDERLYING MEDICAL REASONS
If you struggle to lose weight then it's worth eliminating any possibility of an underlying medical reason that is preventing you from losing weight, normally due to a hormone imbalance given that weight is regulated largely by hormones. This could be related to:
Your thyroid (often the case if you have a family history of hypothyroidism)
Oestrogen dominance (history of miscarriages or infertility or many years on the Pill)
Medications you're taking e.g. steroids, The Pill
UNDERLYING NUTRIENT IMBALANCE
Weight loss can sometimes be hindered by nutrient deficiencies such as Vitamin D, B Vitamins such as B12, Omega 3 fatty acids so it may be worth testing for these.