Habit Change and Weight Loss: Three Levels of Success
by Annie Muller, Certified Health Coach and Certified Life Coach
We all know weight loss is not just about will power. There are a myriad of factors at work when we are trying to reach our weight loss goals. Let’s talk about the three levels of success as laid out by Dr. Jason Fung.
Knowledge
Knowing the best strategies for weight loss is crucial to success. We often have to cut through diet confusion, and sift through the many contradictory ideas available to us in the vast world of diet information.
Understanding the relationship between calorie in-calorie out and the hormonal picture (insulin)
Using Intermittent Fasting and Time Restricted Eating as a key to understanding insulin response and weight loss and gain.
Systems and Supports
It is NOT just about will power. We are multidimensional people with deeply ingrained habits and systems of belief and identity. Our food choices and behaviors surrounding food are all intricately connected and cannot be undone by one choice.
The workplace break room can be a triggering environment.
There may be established relational norms around food such as date nights or evening snacks with a partner.
Societal Changes: we have seen a cultural shift from the 1970’s to now which has greatly increased our frequency of meals and snacks, as well as the “fat-free craze” which increased sugar and carbohydrate intake exponentially. We have also seen a huge change in the pace of life leading to an increase in processed foods and convenience foods.
Triggering Foods: we often have certain foods that we only eat if they are around and available to us --for example, donuts in the office lounge. There can also be “gateway” foods or drinks that lead to other cravings; like when consuming a diet coke triggers cravings for salty foods.
Triggering Environments: We may have certain places and times of day that trigger cravings, for example, at a movie theater, or in front of the TV, or after dinner, before bed. There can also be events and people who trigger certain habits and food choices.
Enablers and Saboteurs: This can be one of the most complex systems in our way when we are trying to create change. Some people enable our unhealthy habits because we have grown up with those habits (family) or we have established relational norms around food (date nights or evening snacks with a partner). We can also experience “push back” when we want to make change -- but our partner, family or friends do not. We have to establish the need for change and be willing to enact those changes even if those around us do not understand. Others' inability to understand and support our decision is often about them not being ready to make change in their own lives.
Emotional Factors
There is an undeniable connection between our emotions and our food choices. We create emotional connections to food beginning with childhood. Social connections are an essential part of being human.
Replace the habit . . . journaling before reaching for food.
Although we cannot separate emotion from food completely, we can become more conscious of our tendency to eat emotionally: eating even when we are not hungry. We have to mindfully assess what is driving our desire to eat: boredom, stress, pure habit etc. Then, we need to replace the habit with something more productive and in line with our goals: tea instead of alcohol, walking instead of technology, journaling before reaching for food.
We need to find emotional support in relationships. Human connection is foundational to our sense of well-being, which is why accountability and support are so key to long-term success. Having a support group, or working in tandem with others with similar goals, is key to staying inspired.
Movement in response to emotion is another way to help combat our ingrained response to reach for food. It is possible to create a new response to stress, for example. Exercise is especially beneficial because of the hormonal response of dopamine and endorphins that follow.
Gratitude is essential for shaping our beliefs and identities around our new goals.