Usually my afternoons are spent working at home
I am either writing – which I love
Or doing admin – which I do not love
Whatever task it is I’m doing, around 4pm something happens to me
I get up and wander to the kitchen put on the kettle and open the kitchen cupboard
I look for some kind of snack
Why I’m doing this I do not know as I am not hungry. In fact I’m barely aware I am doing it at all – it’s like I am out of my mind and someone else took control of my body
And this is kinda what happened
I am literally out of my mind
My brain is running a programme
Since I’ve been studying all this cool brain science stuff I now know what’s going
I’ve just spent hours at my computer in my Pre Frontal Cortex (my human brain) The human brain requires a lot of energy to run
So when I become a bit bored and get up for my afternoon break – my brain thinks great I can switch off for a bit. It hands the control over to the Basal Ganglia – which is the home of habit, the brains autopilot.
The Basal Ganglia requires virtually no energy to run. It just runs whatever pattern is stored in there. Right now for me it’s the get up and walk to kitchen, have coffee and rice cakes and peanut butter pattern
So what’s my point here?
This habit is not serving me. Eating rice cakes and peanut butter extensively is not helping with my weight loss goals and drinking coffee does not make me feel good and interferes with my sleep
So I need to programme a new habit
To create a new a new habit I need to do the following 3 things
1. Give it attention – Continually remind myself that this is something I want to do
2. Make it important – link to emotion. Remind myself WHY – I will feel happier when I lose those extra few pounds
3. Repetition
It needs A LOT of repetitions. Especially if I’m trying to replace an existing pattern in the brain. The longer the original pattern has been running the more repetitions it takes to replace it
Now here’s the bit that a lot of us get wrong
YOU WILL only repeat actions that you enjoy
Let me say that again
YOU WILL ONLY REPEAT ACTIONS THAT YOU ENJOY
Now if I were to replace my 4pm snack with say a run in the park or even meditation (which I have not yet mastered and find incredibly difficult) – it’s prob not going to last very long – as I currently do not enjoy these things
So I have to find something to replace it with that is enjoyable FOR ME
At the moment my replacement still involves food but I’m going for green tea and berries – which I love AND make me feel good
Now here’s my point – I know, I know, it takes me a while to get there. Thanks for baring with me this long!
This is the whole reason that diets don’t work and forcing yourself to go to the gym or do exercise you hate doesn’t work either-THE ACTIONS REQUIRED ARE NOT ENJOYABLE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO REPEAT THEM ENOUGH TIMES TO BECOME A HABIT
And that’s why ALL our programmes at 12 Rounds are FUN
Yep even my EAT CLEAN GET LEAN programme is a fun way to learn about healthy eating and involves small changes on a gradual basis
because that’s the recipe for real transformation
Small changes that are fun to do :)