Why You Don’t Binge On Broccoli

Have you ever wondered why you don’t binge on broccoli? Or brussels sprouts, carrots, cucumbers or even tomatoes? Maybe you haven’t even thought about it – but today you’re going to learn why. It’s a big topic, food addictions, and one that needs some light. Today we’re exposing it all.

First, I need to clarify that I say food addictions lightly – because when we attach eating to addiction, it makes food the enemy. It makes hunger a problem, cravings a curse and forever stains your mind to make food the enemy.

The truth is, you can never become addicted to a necessity. Eating is a necessity – it’s a means of survival. Therefore the act of eating is not something we can become addicted to. That would be like saying you’re addicted to breathing. It just can’t happen.

Yes, you may become addicted to a specific food or group of foods, but you are not a food addict.

Let that dust settle and then let’s get back to why we don’t binge on broccoli and the truth about food addictions. Inside today’s podcast, I break down why our reward centers of the brain are attracted to highly palatable foods, how this is overriding your other hunger and fullness signals and why no amount of willpower can stop this process.

I’ve also created a free handout for today’s show which is another practical step you can take to make a small yet monumental change in your life. Grab that below.

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food addictions

We know the food industry has our food addictions nailed. They even create slogans to rub it in. Think, “once you pop you just can’t stop,” or “I bet you can’t stop at just one.” You don’t hear those things attached to broccoli or apples, and that’s because of their reward value.

We know that the higher the reward value, the more likely the food is to become an addiction. Often reward value is related to calorie content, richness and of course how sweet it is. The most highly palatable foods {or those with the highest reward value} tend to be:

• sugar
• highly process fats
• packaged foods {cereals, chips, cracker, quick dinners, canned soups, etc}
• processed salts

Also, know as all the things we crave.

stop the binge

So how do we stop the binge? It’s through reducing our reward value or putting the reward on non-food items. Of course, there are a lot of tips to doing this such as eating foods without a reward value {think whole foods grown in nature}, eliminating stress and working through your emotions.

But, today I’m going to share three ways to reduce food addiction without changing what you eat.

#1 change your environment

The more I dive into health, metabolism and mindset I realize how much our environment is influencing our mind, actions, choices, and health. It’s a big deal and plays a role in how much we eat.

Remember food cravings and food addictions arise because of a drive for a reward. Our body has created a memory based on the good feeling we get when we consume something. But one component that is not taken into the equation is how our environment is affecting our reward.

Most people don’t just get addicted to things; they try something hoping to fill a void, eventually leading to the “good feeling” dopamine releases and this leads to an addiction.

But what we miss with food is that it’s not just about what we eat but where, when and with whom. All of the components also play a role in our reward centers. But because we’ve become a people obsessed with convenience we’ve lost the notion of sitting and eating around a table with people we love.

Instead, we’ve replaced this with eating in the car, behind a computer, at your desk, while you work, over the kitchen sink and maybe even in bed. This not only reduces the reward you’re seeking but also creates a larger void to be filled by food.

So my question is, what would change about your satisfaction, how you look at food and what you crave if you sat around a table with people you loved and were open to exploring?

Try changing your environment and watch how it changes your food views.

2. supplements

I don’t often bring up the idea of supplements – not because I don’t believe in them – but because it’s such an individualized thing. I would argue that nearly everyone today needs a supplement. We can’t get what we need with today’s food environment.

When we don’t get what we need, our body induces hunger seeking nourishment, not necessarily calories. And that is the difference; we often feel like we need to eat for energy alone when in fact there are a lot of places outside of food to get energy. Like the sun, healthy relationships bring energy as does an excellent faith-filled life.

But what we can’t get outside of food is nourishment. Of course, the sun can help produce some nutrients we still need the precursors and these can only come from food {or supplements}. Nutrients that make everything in your body work well.

That’s why some refer to obesity as a new form of starvation.

We are a people starved for nourishment and if we can fill that void – for nutrients – we can often find health on the other side. Here are some of my favorite supplements to get started.

• Solid multivitamin – I recommend this brand .
• Probiotics {and prebiotics} – My favorite is still this one {and the nose spray is impressive}
• Adaptogens – We haven’t talked much about them on here but I they are whole foods that adapt to what your body needs. Meaning it provides a heaping dose of nutrients and your body uses what it needs when it needs it. Some of my favorite adaptogens include:
  • maca
  • ashwagandha
  • cordyceps
  • holy basil

Take note – real food is always going to be our best source of nourishment – but supplements help fill in the gaps.

3. repetition

Our minds are designed to close loops. Think about the last time you left a thought opened without making drawing your own conclusions? Our brains don’t like to be left with the “to-be-continued” mindset. No, it closes loops and that’s why we’re great at assuming things.

The same goes for habit formation or breaking bad habits like addictive behaviors. We can’t just start something and expect it to stick. We have to close the gaps which often looks like a repetition of the same thing over and over until your mind changes to form that.

Yes, our minds are moldable and will mold into whatever we’re consistently doing. If you don’t like what you are doing, the best way to fix it is to pick one thing – just one small thing and put all of your focus there. Repeating that action, thought or desire until it becomes a part of who you are.

Repetition of positive behavior is a great way to change our reward systems in our brain – turning away from our addictions and back into health.

take action

Pick one thing – just one little thing – you can focus on to make health a priority in your life. Maybe it’s 10 minutes of stretching a day, a hot bath at the end of each day, a vegetable for breakfast or warm lemon water to start your morning. One little thing will build into even greater things.

Like we learned last week on the podcast, one domino can knock over one double it’s size. Habits are the same way – one small change can create momentum for a bigger one. But you have to start somewhere.

So where is that for you?

metabolism series

If you liked what you learned in this podcast, make sure you check out all the other podcasts in this series.

• How You Actually Burn Calories
• Leptin: The One Hormone You Need to Know To Change Your Metabolism
• One Thing You Need to Know About Weight Loss
• The Black Hole of Fitness Doom

Don’t forget each week I create a free download to help you in this process. Make sure you grab your free download below.

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