There is a Charlie Brown cartoon showing Charlie demonstrating the posture of depression. He is demonstrating the way our physiology affects our psychology. Our psychology also affects our physiology in many ways. This back and forth interaction is called the mind-body connection.
It is fact that our mind and body interact, but what does that mean for people attempting to lose weight? Although you may think eating healthy and losing weight only affects your body it affects the mind as well. The effect eating better food and losing weight has on the mind then directly affects the body. It is a circular pattern that for many people goes by unnoticed. In my practice as a hypnotherapist, pattern recognition is key to helping my clients change.
Eating poor quality or low quality foods not only packs on the pounds but actually shrinks the brain, decreasing cognitive function and shrinking the pre-frontal cortex. Shrinking the pre-frontal cortex is a big deal!! The pre-frontal cortex is the part of the brain which has most recently evolved. It is in charge of executive decision making and impulse control. Making better choices and controlling impulses is the key in a person's desire to lose weight.
In many parts of life we see a circular pattern. That pattern is either spiraling up or down depending on the decisions and choices made. You can see how making healthy eating choices will improve brain function and has been proven to increase cognitive function. We see improved choices that drive the person to exercise because they feel better and have more energy. Exercise than reinforces the positive changes and the person now is motivated intrinsically to continue to eat better and voila'! That is the upward spiral.
Unfortunately the downward spiral requires less work and is the "easy" way out. Starting with eating sweets and processed foods, the pre-frontal cortex becomes hard and shrinks, decreasing mental function. The choices become more negative because now the person has no energy and is driven to more sugar to get a quick fix. Their brain functions at a lower level cognitively and they rationalize their choices. (This is called denial) They have no energy to exercise and the spiral goes down as they become more depressed and gain additional weight. This downward spiral will continue until the person experiences an event which either frightens or motivates them strongly enough to stop the downward momentum.
Which pattern are you in? If you are stuck in a downward spiral, you may need help in breaking free. The first step is to recognize the problem. Once you notice the pattern, begin by cutting back on sweets and processed foods and you will begin to notice a shift in brain function. This is the start of the upward spiral! Keep going and you will have shifted to the positive, action based pattern for success and health!
Inga Chamberlain is a successful entrepreneur with over 18 years experience as a hypnotherapist, speaker and trainer. Her background includes over 10 years experience in the executive search industry, both as an executive recruiter and as owner/manager of her own firm.
Inga has a BA in Psychology from Penn State University and is certified as a clinical hypnotherapist, master practitioner of NLP, coach and is the creator of the "Neuro Conditioning System". Inga is also a speaker and author. Her book "The Power of Choice" is expected to be out in 2013.
To learn more go to her website:
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