An Attitude Of Gratitude And Other Ways To Boost Your Food Will Power For The Holiday’s

mass mansionjpg foodThe brain’s willpower capacity is limited, but steps like planning ahead, reducing stress & eating regular meals will help overcome “Willpower Gap” says brain & cognitive scientist

Do you ever wonder why it’s so hard to resist overeating at the holidays?

The answer is simple, says Susan Peirce Thompson, Ph.D., a brain and cognitive scientist specialized in the psychology of eating:

Willpower isn’t a dimension of personality, or character, it’s simply a cognitive function available to us in limited doses.

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Harlem World Magazine, 2521 1/2 west 42nd street, Los Angeles, CA, 90008, https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

In fact, as she points out in her upcoming book, Bright Line Eating: The Science of Living Happy, Thin and Free (Hay House, March 2017), research shows that we all have as little as 15 minutes of willpower at our disposal at any given time before it runs dry.

It’s no surprise then that when there are temptations everywhere, we cave!  This is what Susan calls the “Willpower Gap.”

But there are ways to expand willpower to better manage holiday eating.  The key is to be aware of the Willpower Gap and plan accordingly so you don’t fall into it.

Here are the five key steps she recommends:

Plan ahead

Don’t leave yourself to make decisions in the moment when you’re tired, hungry or overwhelmed by the crowd.  Decide in advance what you will eat each day and when so you won’t be making food choices at times of day when your willpower is depleted.

Eat regular meals.

When regular meals become part of the scaffolding of your life, it takes the burden off of willpower.  A schedule of eating three meals a day at regular mealtimes—breakfast, lunch, and dinner —not only helps eating the right things become automatic, but also passing up the wrong things in between.

Reduce stress

Stress and the emotional regulation that go along with it taxes your willpower.  So wherever possible, modify or avoid the things that tap your resources.  Where it can’t be avoided just bringing awareness that an upcoming situation is going to deplete you — such as that dreaded political conversation with your dad’s aunt — can prevent your falling into the Willpower Gap.

Get enough sleep

Make sure you are getting enough sleep each night. Sleep is a powerful willpower replenisher.

Practice an attitude of gratitude

Research shows that something as simple as expressing gratitude will replenish willpower.  Gratitude also helps shift the focus from what you want, or crave, to what you have.

 Susan Peirce Thompson, Ph.D. is a psychology professor, a brain and cognitive scientist, and an expert in the psychology of eating. She is President of the Institute for Sustainable Weight Loss and CEO of Bright Line Eating Solutions, a company dedicated to sharing the psychology and neurology of sustainable weight loss and helping people achieve it.

Related Articles

VIDEO

Harlem Cultural Archives is a donor and foundation-supported Historical Society, Its mission is to create, maintain and grow a remotely accessible, online, interactive repository of audio-visual materials documenting Harlem’s remarkable and varied multicultural legacies, including its storied past as well as its continuing contributions to the City and State of New York, the nation, and the world. Support Harlem Cultural Archives and click here to get more Harlem History, Thank you.

Leave a Reply