The path to changing our behavior has very little to do with resolve. We achieve control, not through willpower but by finding ways to take willpower entirely out of the equation. The central force for eliminating bad habits, according to social psychologist Wendy Wood, author of “Good Habits, Bad Habits,” is friction. In other words, making bad habits inconvenient. She cites the ways in which increased friction has produced a decline in smoking: laws that ban it in restaurants, bars, airplanes, and trains; taxes that have helped triple the price of cigarettes in the U.S. in the past twenty years; the purge of cigarettes from vending machines, and of tobacco ads from TV and the radio. We can apply the same concept to eating … [Read more...] about Eliminating Triggers
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Once I Lose Weight
Most of us think our weight is the main problem that needs to be solved. I wholeheartedly disagree. When our obsession with our weight is front and center, we’re unable to focus on any aspect of self-care that doesn’t involve shrinking our bodies. I’ll be kinder to myself once I lose weight. I’ll start walking (or go to a yoga class) once I lose weight. I’ll buy quality clothes that fit well once I lose weight. I’ll eat what truly feels good in my body once I lose weight. I’ll book that vacation once I lose weight. I’ll stop starving myself once I lose weight. Essentially, we’re neglecting our basic needs and desires until we feel we “deserve” it by losing weight. This is incredibly unhelpful. What leads to … [Read more...] about Once I Lose Weight
The Unfillable Hole
In the minutes before yoga class a few weeks ago, I saw my friend Shana walk into the studio. Happy to see her, I jumped up and immediately heard a POP in my leg. Not good. But because I can be stubborn and willful, I decided to stay. It’s not that bad. You can make it through. Come on Robyn, you’re tough. You got this. As soon as I half attempted Warrior 2 pose, it became VERY clear I needed to go. Tail tucked between my legs, I grabbed my mat and hobbled out of class. Tim, my Godsend of a physical therapist, diagnosed the injury the next day (a strained gastrocnemius muscle) and set me up with a few weeks’ worth of PT appointments. It wasn’t as bad as I feared, but it would take some time to heal. With … [Read more...] about The Unfillable Hole
Punk Rock Eating
Why is the obesity epidemic continuing to spiral out of control? We know that being obese makes us more likely to have heart disease + high blood pressure + diabetes + sleep apnea. It raises our risk of stroke and some cancers. It puts constraints on our lives and what we’re able to do physically. Yet nothing has changed. Despite all we know and all the money we’ve spent, we are getting fatter and sicker as a society. I was listening to a podcast while hiking yesterday and something clicked. We don’t need more awareness or more programs or more funding. We need a new normal. The way of eating that contributes to the ever-evolving health crisis we’ve found ourselves in is NORMAL. As human beings, we want … [Read more...] about Punk Rock Eating