The mouth is a pleasure zone of the body and we use the mouth to get pleasure when we feel we are lacking joy. The term instant gratification comes from Freud’s pleasure-seeking behaviours. The key to changing bad eating and drinking behaviour is to firstly recognise that you are seeking gratification because of other issues.

 

In order to make a permanent difference you must spend some time thinking about what is causing you to continue with bad habits. Let’s consider the issues and plan solutions for over eating and drinking.

Reasons for over eating:

 

• Boredom -there are certain times in the day that people experience what could be called ‘food frustration’ -it’s actually anxiety and you think you need a gratification to feel better.

 

• Using food or drink as a reward. Actually, it is the opposite -that chocolate or wine make us look fat -hardly a reward so re-think that food and drinks are rewards.

 

• Waiting for an event then over indulging. This habit is often not exclusive to eating and drinking, in effect people are waiting for happiness or think life will better after an occasion -ironically delaying gratification.

 

• Over eating often is a subconscious punishment. When you know something is wrong and harmful but you deliberately continue with that behaviour it is self-loathing. Ironically the gratification is sabotage.

 

• Comfort eating is the association with memory, location or weather -revisiting a past feeling of gratification.

 

• Loss of control -when there is too much control on your life from perhaps work, family etc the instant ‘apparent’ control you have is food and drink.

 

Gratifying ways to change the behaviour in those moments when food and drink are the go-to:

 

• Call friends that empathise with this behaviour and do this every time the food or drink anxiety occurs. This solution is particularly useful for boredom, overeating and comfort eating.

 

• Journal your achievements and successes. Clearly people are not comfortable bragging about their achievements to others but it is essential that people praise themselves. Write down what great things you have done -from picking up a neighbour’s child from school to landing a promotion. You must actually recognise how wonderful you are and that there is nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself. Being conceited is not the same as being happy with yourself and your achievements.

 

• Accept that you capable of delaying gratification especially if you have achieved goals. Ironically, that is what you are doing when you wait for an event! You are actually saying ‘my good eating efforts are being noticed at this event’ and ‘now I am rewarding my self by eating everything I denied myself’.

 

• Refer to a favourite text or picture that refocuses you. From Google to a scientific journal there are plenty of places to read or see something that resonates with you. Images and texts really impact our lives and we refer to them often. Find one text or image that you can constantly refer to -think Bible.

 

Think about instant gratification at the moment you might over indulge and powerfully choose to be in control.

 

 

Next week … How to change your habits from sedentary to exercising.

 

How to change your habits -eating and drinking

Disclaimer

The article below is for informational purposes and is not intended to replace professional advice. For health related information please consult a health professional prior to commencing any program including a exercise or dietary program.

CONTACT

Our values are

Passion, Honour and Discipline.

A selective school taking on students that share our values.

Contact us for more information.

CONTACT

914 Princess Hwy, Tempe NSW

kon@thefightlab.com.au

0418 282 823

© 2018 The Fight Lab Sydney.  All rights reserved.