Why we overeat - Part 1: Seek pleasure, avoid pain, & make it easy! AKA evolution!

For the next several weeks I am going to demystify overeating - and pretty much any other habit you’re doing that you don’t like - you in?!

First, let me start by saying there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with you if you are engaging in a behavior that you don’t want to do, but keep doing.  It’s a habit and that habit can be changed!

As a species, we have survived and evolved by avoiding pain, seeking pleasure, and doing it all as easy as possible.  This means the brain is always looking for shortcuts - activities it can put on autopilot.  And it’s also important to note that the brain places no judgment on these activities or shortcuts.  They are neither good or bad.

So the first time you figured out that you could avoid a negative feeling or change an uncomfortable situation by eating - and feeling good temporarily - the brain registered this and built a neural pathway.  You had avoided pain, found pleasure, now it’s time to make it easy!

Picture it like hiking.  Every time you walk thru the forest, you leave a mark.  And if you keep walking thru the forest the same way, you make a trail.  Soon that trail gets wider and wider and it seems silly to go any other way. It’s easy.

Now let’s say you want to take a different path.  It’s not nearly as easy to go through. You have to make the path by continuing down that new route, instead of your old one, to clear the roots and branches until it’s easier to go down.

At some point, both the new route and the old route are equally easy to travel.  And eventually, if you take the new route more often, the old route will start to regrow and become less desirable to travel.

The paths are like the neural pathways in your brain that control your habits.

Simply put, anything you are doing now and have been doing for some time is easier for your brain to continue to do.  Note that I said easier  not unchangeable!  At any time you can decide to take a different path!

But it’s important to remember that this new path won’t be as automatic as the old one.  And it the old path won’t regrow in 6-weeks of walking the new path.

This means if you want a forever change, not a quick fix, you need to show yourself patience and grace.  Because it will be harder before it’s easier to go down this new path. And some days you are going to be tired and choose the easier path!

And there will be nothing wrong with you - because IT’S EASIER - no wonder you chose it!  The only thing you need to do is commit to is not taking that easy route twice. Just figure out how you can get back on that other trail asap.  (Hint, it will start with how you handle taking the old route. If you beat yourself up, you’re making it easier to stay on the OLD route.)

If you feel stuck or need some help figuring out how to start that new route,schedule a free mini-session with me!