It's Not Always About Willpower

Eating is a pleasurable experience.  As adults we carry many favorable memories linked with food and gravitate towards those foods that provided a positive experience.  We are all unique on what foods we like and do not like, however most of us share the same taste for sugar, fat and salt.  We inherently require these types of foods.  Fat is needed to absorb fat-soluble vitamins and supply essential good fats for vital organ functions.  Some fats contain Omega-3 fatty acids that prevent depressed moods and aging of the brain.  The body requires sodium to regulate fluid balance and muscle and nerve function.  Natural sugar provides emergency energy for tired muscles and a foggy brain.  One must not try to eliminate these foods but seek out healthy alternatives than junk foods.

Majority of people would say that food is the only thing that shuts down cravings.  A craving is a message from the brain to fulfill a particular requirement for optimal functioning.  The brain lets us know that there is a deficiency somewhere that needs to be replenished.  Because the brain doesn’t clearly tell us what exactly we need and where the levels are inadequate, we need to take a few minutes to pinpoint what is going on with our mood and how we physically feel.  We need to work with the cravings and not against them.  How many times have you tried avoiding your craving by eating around it.  You picked this and nibbled on that coming to realize you have eaten half the house out so you may as well have the bowl of chocolate ice cream.  It’s not about willpower or resisting temptation as the brain will not ease up on its demands until it is satisfied.  You will not win.

To satisfy cravings without risking weight gain we need to choose higher quality foods instead of refined processed foods loaded with sugar and MSG.  The mental and emotional benefits of these foods are short term and promote further cravings.  If you are craving fat then reach for good fats such as nuts, seeds, guacamole, eggs, almond butter and olive oil dressings.  The more we choose healthier foods to satisfy a particular craving it will decrease the intensity of further cravings.

If you choose to go with a not-so-healthy food option such as a processed food item, you need to be wary that it is designed to be seductive and addicting encouraging you to keep eating.  Try nibbling and savouring, enjoying the experience instead of woofing it down.  Remain in the moment and aware of how it is psychologically making you feel.  One thing is clear that in order to correct whatever deficiency there is it involves real foods that contain valuable nutrients and not junk foods void of nutrients.  When incorporating healthier snacks you will eventually become to enjoy real foods turning you away from damaging foods that rob you of your good moods and induce further nagging cravings resulting in weight gain.

Its Not About Losing Weight But Gaining Health Benefits

Your brain is a very powerful entity controlling every part of you voluntarily and involuntarily.  If you have negative thoughts or a negative self image, you will need to be aware of how they may be getting in the way of your goals. 

Instead of focusing on losing weight (or more like not losing weight) focus on nurturing and replenishing your body with the vital nutrients needed to decrease aging and increase youthfulness and energy.  By making this mental switch, you aren’t counting calories, feeling guilty and giving up on healthy eating.

My three easiest tips to remember are:

-                     If it doesn’t grow, it isn’t good for you.

-                     If it rots, it’s good for you.

-                     If it doesn’t nourish your body, it isn’t good for you.

It’s not the calories that are your biggest worry, it’s the havoc the bad foods will create to your being.  Many people are drawn to the “low-calorie” or only “100 calories” labels on packaging.  You are better off eating 200 calories of almonds than 100 calories of over-processed snacks.

Your goals to weight-loss should be to cleanse, rebuild, revive, heal, rebalance and re-establish your physical and mental well-being.  The withdrawls for the first month will be rough and ugly as you are cleaning out all the lingering toxins that have made their home in your cells for years.  Your body and mind have become addicted to the actual foods that are making you sick and lethargic.  

The elimination process is a difficult period because your body is breaking down all the toxins and gunk layer by layer.  Toxins come out many ways including through your pores. Your body is basically coughing and gagging out all the garbage through every orifice available.  This also takes a lot of energy so be aware that you may need a nap every now and then.  The author of Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock, went on a detox of only a raw diet for 8 weeks and had major withdrawls for the first two weeks including headaches, sweating and the shakes.  He states it was like coming off of a drug addiction as he was addicted to the foods and additives that were making him sick.

Slowly weaning from sugars or sweeteners may be an easier process for some people by cutting back week by week.  You  may need to start small by cutting out only deep fried, fatty foods then next month try eliminating sugars and sweeteners and so on. An all-or-nothing approach will be difficult and withdrawals can be nasty, therefore, self-care techniques will need to be planned and put in place.

When you start incorporating more raw vegetables and fruits and less sugar, salt and trans fats in your diet, your entire make-up and physical being is being upgraded and shifting to a healthier and  higher level. 

 Give yourself six months to a year to get there.  Eventually you will get the energy and results you are looking for and you will want to maintain it as it feels so good.  Focus on the goal of rejuvenation and healing.  Reprogram and shift your thinking about food and your behavior will match your thoughts.  It all starts with the brain.

Does Stress Really Make Us Fat?

Stress can be a good thing.  It can save our life, help finish a project and force us to make a decision.  Stress is induced by triggers or fears which are helpful on a short-term basis.  

An example would be if you were driving on the highway and you blew a tire. The trigger would be the loud pop and your car veering out of your lane. Your stress response hormone, adrenaline, would allow you to instantly recognize danger and help you safely roll onto the side of the road in mere seconds.  After you sense danger is out of the way, your heart rate and anxiety levels start to stabilize and adrenalin is no longer gushing through your body.  Now you are left with the aggravation of having to change the tire, which is more of a hassle than dangerous.  Your stress response hormone, cortisol rears it’s head as it provides us with motivation to solve a problem or face an issue as it feels unpleasant and we want it to go away. Once the tire is changed and the problem is solved, we drive off feeling a sense of relief that our crisis is over and cortisol is no longer required.  

After this experience a recovery period of our stress hormones is required, therefore, you may feel fatigued with the need of a rest.  You may also experience cravings as blood sugar is low and brain chemicals are reduced.  Most people report sugar cravings during this period as it is a quick way to recover from the stress and low energy.

Now this is all fine and dandy if we encounter these situations once or twice a month as they can be easily managed.  However, in today’s fast-paced world that is not the case.  We are bombarded by stressors on a regular basis whether it is our environment, workplace, relationship, financial situation, social issues or all of them.  After some time our normal coping mechanisms start to break down and our hormone levels are completely out of whack.  Chronic stress and chronic multi-tasking will result in physical and psychological consequences. 

It has been discovered that chronic stress compromises our immune system, damages brain cells and strains our cardiovascular system.  This potentially can result in regular bouts of cold and flus, “foggy thinking” and increasing our risk of cardiovascular diseases.  Prolonged stress also causes disruptions in our digestive system.  Have you ever been so nervous that you ended up with diarrhea or ulcers? 

Psychologically, we come to feel that we will never overcome all of our problems or complete all our responsibilities.  This overwhelming sense of feeling out of control will result in burn out, anxiety or depression.  Our hormones play a key role in how well and how long we can cope with all the stressors we are faced with.  Our hormones continually adjust themselves to help us through whatever task we are faced with.  Eventually our hectic lifestyle causes hormonal havoc bringing symptoms to the surface.  “Chronic elevated in cortisol, day after day after day, also breaks down muscle and bone, slows healing and normal cell replacement, and impairs digestion, metabolism, and mental function, among other things.” – The Hormone Makeover, Donna White.  It is important to acknowledge these symptoms as we tend to drudge on, ignoring the small warnings our bodies give us.

The overload of the hormone, cortisol will interfere with the functioning of other hormones which will become noticed through moodiness, decreased energy and insomnia.  Hormonal imbalance not only results in unstable moods or behavior changes but weight gain.  Anyone with a thyroid issue can understand the battle with weight management.  

Cortisol overload also contributes to weight-gain as it triggers appetite and cravings for carbs and sugary treats.  “Cortisol also sends a potent signal to abdominal fat cells (those in your belly region) to store as much fat as possible – and hold on to it.” – (The Cortisol Connection Diet, Shawn Talbott. PH.D).  The foods we crave to ease our stress and bring us comfort are usually the ones that are worse for us in terms of weight-gain and digestive issues.  Physical activity assists in weight-loss and promotes positive moods, however, being so overwhelmed fatigue or the on-coming headache will prevent any treadmill attempts.  

As our happy hormone, serotonin, dips we feel our mental stamina and moods bottom out.  This leads us seeking out ways to bring us back to life.  The first and most convenient method is through food.  However with our cortisol level high and serotonin low, we don’t have the energy for self-control or rationale around food.  Running into this situation daily it is easy to understand how weight-gain can start becoming an issue.

We must also keep in mind that sometimes stress is self-generated such as making every little annoyance or obstacle a catastrophe.  Worse case-scenarios rarely happen, therefore, we need to realize that extreme anxiety or worry is detrimental to our health and physiological state and probably not helpful to the situation either.  If you are feeling that almost everything now is causing a higher-than-normal strong stress response, you could be dealing with an exhausted or depleted hormone.  Fortunately today hormones are coming into the light and attention of physicians and health practitioners but seek out a medical profession that is more in tune how you “feel” and not just interested in you rattling off a few symptoms.

Lifestyle habits, self-care techniques and diet are essential in managing stress.  The good news is that we do have the tools in our grasp to bring back balance to our mental and emotional health.  Seeking ways to return harmony into your life is an important part of weight-loss and some steps can be as easy as sitting in your backyard or a park by yourself for ten minutes to calm your mind. The quality of food also plays a significant role in hormonal balance and promoting resiliency.  Physical activity quells negative energy and brings forward positive feelings while burning calories as a bonus.


Managing stress by eating right, finding time to recover and relax and exercising will decrease weight-gain, fight off stress-related diseases and enhance your moods.

Identifying the Emotional-Eating Cycle

We as Westerners are eating the most stressed out diet on the planet.  The foods we choose to soothe our fears, comfort our anxieties and relax our tensions actually exacerbate the stress we are feeling.  After an emotionally-taxing day we tend to reach for sugar or refined carbs to improve our moods. With our hormones continually adapting to all the events we encounter or the tasks demanded on us, the hormonal imbalance at the end of the day will lead us to the package of cookies in our cupboard as soon as we walk in the door.  “The psychological experience is as much involved as the biological experience” – (Why Women Need Chocolate, Debra Waterhouse, MPH, RD, 1995). 

Sugar boosts the good-mood hormone, serotonin.  Serotonin is the hormone that provides us with the feeling of joy, satisfaction and confidence.  When our serotonin levels are low, our brain does what it can to bring serotonin levels back to normal by sending out messages that we call cravings. The combination of fat and sugar is most desirable to women as fat lifts our endorphine level which is a pain-relieving hormone that is as powerful as morphine.  Majority of women report during their “monthly time” is when cravings are more intense.  We are unable to resist the strong messages from the brain as it trying to keep hormones at their appropriate levels. Therefore, as good-mood hormones dip we are left with uncontrollable sugar and fat cravings that are near impossible to resist.

The key to ensuring good-mood hormone levels is to maintain stable blood sugar levels.  If the brain is supplied with maximum energy throughout the day with “healthy” carbohydrates, proteins and good fats it will provide us with alertness, creative thinking and stable moods. Our resiliency to life’s demands depends on eating healthy meals that will sustain us.  If our blood sugar levels drop and we “starve” the brain, it will protest with headaches, irritability and fatigue.  When low energy and unclear thinking occurs, we lose our self-control and rationale around food putting us at risk of making some very poor choices to fulfill our needs.

Two top mood sabotagers that we continually use to lift our moods and restore our energy are sugar/sugar subsitutes and refined starches.  Both are usually found in refined processed snacks or sugary store-bought treats such as cookies, cakes, doughnuts, muffins, crackers, cereals and sweetened drinks and colas. As they provide no nutritional value and contain additives that are addicting they are not only toxic to our bodies but our moods. 

How this process works is that within a minute of consuming a diet cola and cookie your body becomes highly stressed trying to neutralize the destructive impact of these “foods”.  First your body sends out adrenaline, “the fight or flight” hormone as it senses your body is being attacked.  Then endorphine and serotonin levels go up making you feel good temporarily.  Insulin is called onto the scene to deal with the excessive high blood sugar and it also tells your body to store fat.  After insulin has completed its job your energy and mental stamina starts to plummet, this brings forward your stress hormone, cortisol, to release emergency sugar stores from the liver so you don’t pass out.  As cortisol doesn’t usually feel pleasant it motivates us to get rid of it by, you guessed it, reaching for a sugary snack again.  This process can happen two to four times a day putting great strain on our hormones, affecting our moods and increasing our chances of weight-gain.

This vicious emotional-eating cycle can be as rapid as the bad-mood foods we chose.  Our moods and our emotional dependency on certain foods drive us towards those quick fixes.  In order for an intervention to happen we need to recognize how our habits are contributing to the stress-eating cycle.  There are a variety of healthier choices that will provide our bodies and mind with the essential nutrients needed to optimally function. We can eliminate emotional-eating from taking over our lives and have the quality of life we are seeking by just feeding our brain and nourishing our body with the right foods.


Treena Wynes, BSW, RSW
Author of Eating Ourselves Crazy
www.f4tw.com