Too Big To Fail, April 3rd

Remember that old saying Too Big To Fail? According to Investopedia this describes a business or business sector deemed to be so deeply ingrained in a financial system or economy that its failure would be disastrous to the economy. Therefore, the government would consider bailing out the business or even an entire sector—such as big banks, investment firms, large financial institutions, or US carmakers—to prevent economic disaster. There was even a movie by the same name back in 2011. When that phrase was coined, nobody imagined that any of those entities or verticals could ever collapse. They were simply too big to fail. I feel the same about myself regarding my weight loss journey. If I continue to follow the program, I will see results. I am too committed to fail! Even moderate calorie reduction will result in positive results for me. This lifestyle is now part of me, completely ingrained into my daily life. I cannot live without it.

When I think about the foods that I was eating and in what quantities, I am amazed that I didn’t pack on even more weight over the past few years. I no longer have intense cravings or long for that stuffed feeling because I completely changed my intake. I recently saw a video that described this phenomenon to me. Basically they explained that when we eat for nutrition, we are able to put our utensils down when we are satiated. (Foreign concept to me that I just learned!) They used the example of eating a steak. Meat is a protein with nutritional value, so when we have had enough steak, our body signals that we are full and to stop eating.

Drinking water is another good example. We drink water because we are thirsty. So when that thirst is quenched, we don’t continue to drink. We stop. We don’t ever over drink or indulge in water. It’s no longer necessary. We don’t crave it.

On the other hand, highly processed foods have the exact opposite effect. It’s nearly impossible to curb the amount of cheesy mashed potatoes and luxurious creamed spinach that we might enjoy with the above mentioned steak. Foods with low nutritional value and high fat or sugar keep us wanting more. Who can have just a few chips, or to try to stop at just three measly M&M’s? The dopamine rush from all of these foods makes us crave more of them because that high stimulates pleasure in our brain. We aren’t ingesting for nutrition, so there is no off switch. Similarly drinking beer isn’t for thirst. So after a few, we continue to drink for pleasure and not for nutrition.

RMIT University weighs in by saying that our brains can become overwhelmed by the pleasure from these rewarding foods and in response, the brain adapts and makes more receptors for dopamine. This means a greater amount of junk food is needed to get the same “kick” making us eat more, in the same way that an addict develops a tolerance to drugs. So, our brains are hardwired to seek out and want rewarding foods, making us crave and desire sweet and fatty foods. That’s a whole lotta science right there to explain why it’s so easy to sit down and house a whole sleeve of Oreos in one sitting, but it’s true.

Once I really learned about the how, it was easier for me to adjust the what… meaning what I choose to eat. I’ve had success because I’ve cut out virtually all of those trigger foods. I don’t have to worry that I’ll eat the whole bag of chips because I’ve sworn off tortilla chips. Instead I depend on a veggie heavy diet with lean protein and not a lot of chances are built in to fall off the wagon. I have no desire to challenge an all you can eat chicken wing promo right now, but hey, that could change.

I’m a couple of months into Noom now and drum roll please… I’m thrilled to announce that I’m down an additional double-digit amount. That’s like two dress sizes! It’s completely mind-blowing and amazing to watch those numbers steadily decline. I have more weight to lose to get to my goal and a few months left to get there. I’m no longer that big but I promise you that I will not fail.