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Saturday, November 14, 2009How to Avoid Being Stuffed Like a Turkey on Thaksgiving Day
Do you tend to overeat at Thanksgiving dinner? Most of us
do. By a lot! We like to indulge, we feel we deserve it, and the
food reminds us of warm memories, so resisting just doesn't seem possible!
But then we feel stuffed, bloated, guilty, tired and the after-meal party just
isn't as enjoyable. Know the scenario?
If
you'd like to make things different this year, quit trying to resist.
Why? Because while you are telling yourself to stop eating, your brain
wiring for eating is activated, even if the verb don't precedes
it. That's why resisting something is really difficult. It increases tension,
uneasiness and dissonance. It requires a ton of self-regulation, which is
an internal resource of which we have a limited quantity. So when the
self-regulation runs out, we give up and dig in!
Instead, turn your focus to a positive and appealing alternative.
Thoughts like "I'm savoring family time" or "I really want to
make gratitude the main event tonight" will stimulate enjoyable behaviors
other than eating, thus helping you make smarter choices as you approach the
dining table. Better yet, it will help you focus on what really matters -
your family, and giving thanks.