Habits? All in Your Head

Ms. Romano shared an article by Lauran Neergaard entitled, "Habits?  All in Your Head".

Science shows that bad habits are hard to break for a biological reason - they get wired into your brain.  It has to do with dopamine's role in habit formation.  The yumminess of chocolate tends to beat out the knowledge that veggies are a better choice for weight loss because we are programmed to accept the immediate reward.

But, it is possible to beat the Brain Game.

First, don't overestimate your ability to resist temptation.  Smokers are more likely to light up when they have a cigarette in front of them.  Similarly, if you are staring at a bag of chips, it makes it a tad harder to avoid eating them.  Avoid the tug of war between willpower and temptation by removing the source of temptation.

Repeat, repeat, repeat!  When establishing a new and healthy habit such as exercising, it helps to establish a routine and do the same thing at the same time of day, rather than fitting it in haphazardly.

Reward yourself.  If you exercised all week and stuck to your eating plan, perhaps you could buy yourself a book or a new pair of jeans.

Cut out the rituals that are linked to your bad habits, such as eating in front of the TV.

And, good news, exercise itself raises dopamine levels providing your brain with a feel good hit.