Superhuman Habits

(Book by Tynan)               

                      

                                 "At first you create your habits, and then your habits create you”

 

1 What is a Habit?

A habit is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur unconsciously.

In the American Journal of Psychology it is defined in this way:

"A habit, from the standpoint of psychology, is a more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience.”

Will power is finite…you only have a certain amount. So we have to use our limited amount of will power to create new habits.

Old habits are hard to break and new habits are hard to form because the behavioral patterns we repeat are imprinted in our neural pathways, but it is possible to form new habits through repetition.

2. Don’t miss a day!

Consistency…set up habits to do daily.

If you miss a day…then set up “the habit” as the most important thing to do the next day.

What if you miss two days?  DON’T MISS TWO DAYS!

Set boundaries. There are certain things you will not allow.

3. Use your mistakes.

“Perfection is not reality”

No bodies perfect.  Don’t tell yourself, “I am bad at this”….that becomes a mindset.

Say, “I AM BETTER THAN THIS!”

“Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can’t, you’re right”  ~ Henry Ford

 4. Focus on the Process.

If you want to stress yourself out when it comes to weight loss, hop on the scales every day. Measure your progress by the results you’re getting….go ahead…make the results as short term as you can. Be all about immediate results.

That is the quickest path to giving up. You’re not going to see the results as fast as you think you should be seeing them, and it’s not working, so you give up.

Focus on the Process.  Here are some things to ask yourself….

~ Am I doing what I said I was going to do to lose weight?

~ Am I preparing my food ahead of time?

~ Am I Exercising?

~ Is my “new habit” still a priority?

~ Am I staying within my boundaries?

~ Am I using my mistakes to learn new lessons?

~ Have I continued to focus on the process?

The outcome of our success will be a natural by-product of the process.

Make a commitment to the practice…the process.

5. Negative Habits

Identify my negative habits.

~ Staying up too late.

~ Wasting time. (Not planning)

~ Eating out

~ Too much time on the internet.

~ Procrastination.

Notice the triggers that moves us…replace the negative habits with positive habits.

Notice the consequences, so that we can see the value to change.


"The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating - in work, in play, in love.  The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation.  To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life."
 
   

 

                                  

 

 

 

The Problem

 

                  “It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It is that they can’t see the problem.”

                                                                                    ~ G. K. Chesterton

 “We need more understanding of human nature, because the only real danger that exists is man himself. He is the great danger. And we are pitifully unaware of it. We know nothing of man ... far too little. His psyche should be studied — because we are the origin of all coming evil”

                                                                                                           ~ C.G. Jung

The problem…Human nature

To address the problem, (human nature) requires us to address the basic human needs. Maslow pointed this out in his “Hierarchy of Needs”. The basic needs are… air, food, water, sex, and safety. These are basic needs that have been deeply etched into the core of our neurology so that humanity can continue to grow and flourish.

So now you might ask…Why has the human brain evolved in a way that attracts us toward destructive behavior?

Maybe this is the wrong question to ask?

A helpful analogy in explaining this behavior is the popular idiom, “Like a Moth to a Flame”.

Sitting out, enjoying the night on your patio, it might be tempting to ask, “Why do nocturnal bugs commit suicide by flying into bug zappers? (I’ve actually had this question at Kim’s aunt and uncle’s house)

I thought….what could be the possible benefit for this destructive behavior by flying into a light?

So I looked it up…In the bug’s case, I was asking the wrong question.

Instead what I should have asked is, “What's the survival value of having the kind of brain, which when there are lights about, directs the bugs to fly into them?”

To understand this “behavior” requires us to go back millions of years.  In the wild state, when the moth’s brain was being naturally selected, there weren't any earthly lights, and if you saw a bright light in the middle of the night, it pretty well had to be a light from the cosmos.  It could be a firefly or something like that, but it was most likely to be the moon or a star, or, in a day-flying insect, the sun.

As it turns out, nocturnal bug’s brains were hardwired in a world that was navigated by using celestial lights…. It is only in modernity that lights are low enough for bugs to fly into.

So, now we have rephrased the question. The question is not, “What is the survival value of killing yourself if you're a moth?” the question now becomes, “What's the survival value of using light to guide your world?”  And now we've got a sensible answer.  In the case of the moth, flying into a flame is a hardwired trait imprinted into the bug’s brain that hasn’t evolved enough to overcome the challenges (lights) in the new world.

While reading about bugs I had an epiphany. I used to ask a similar question about humans and our struggles with relationships, finances, and overeating.

I wondered why we continue to do things that were not in our best interest. What is it that attracts us toward destructive behavior?

Like the moth, humans have evolved over the course of millions of years. The reason our drives often seem counterproductive is that they were built in a world of scarcity, and one that presented immediate threats to our family and tribe. During this time, the selection process preferred individuals that were neurologically hard wired for aggression, consumption, procreation, and safety. It should be easy to see how these traits were beneficial in a baron world for our early development.

Our instinctual brain (ancient) is in conflict with our rational brain (modern). Our animalistic instinct has shaped our direction….and our rational brain has created our world guided by these instinctual needs.

The need for air is fixed and water is plentiful… the demand for food has been met, and overly so…sex is on TV and at the touch of our key boards…and our safety has been somewhat met by local officials and a strong military.

So, now I had to rephrase my human behavioral question.

The question is not, “Why has the human brain evolved in a way that attracts us toward destructive behavior?”

The question is, “What is the biological advantage for the human brain to consume?”

And now we've got a sensible answer. In order for early humans to flourish, the desire for air, food, water, and sex, are dominate traits needed to perpetuate the species.

Just like the moth, we have neurological pathways deeply imprinted into the subconscious area of our brain that direct us toward those ancient desires that are extremely hard to resist.

Ironically, if the successful instinctual desires acquired in a dangerous world are not controlled in the new world of abundance…like a moth, we will fly into the flame. 

The Secret is our metabolism…the Facts are the facts…and the Problem is our hardwired instinctual drives that create conflict within the conscious creature.

 "If I change my mind, will I change my choices? If I change my choices will my life change? Why can’t I change what I’m addicted too? When I change my addiction, what will I lose that I am chemically attached to? Maybe I don’t want to lose what I’m chemically attached to because I may have to experience the withdrawal from that”….. Hence the human drama

                                                           

 

 

The Facts

                  “Face the facts of being what you are, for that is what changes what you are”

                                                                                      ~ Soren Kierkegaard

 

The Facts:

1. Intake.   You are what you eat.

Your body is a reflection of your caloric intake.  Right now…whatever you weigh…whatever your body fat….you are eating a diet that supports you.

2. Expenditure.  You can never outwork your mouth.         

It’s easy to eat 300 calories…it’s hard to burn 300 calories.

3. Muscle.  Muscle makes up the greatest percentage (60-75%) of your metabolism.  The more muscle you have, the greater the caloric expenditure.

(Ladies….keep in mind, one pound of fat takes up three as much space as one pound of muscle.   As you increase muscle mass you become smaller…more tone.  So get in the weight room, and get off of the treadmill)

4. Nutrition. (Let’s keep this simple) Eat a diet composed of Complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and unsaturated fats. These macronutrients must be consumed together, and eaten every three to four hours. This method ensures blood sugar stabilization and fuels the muscles for growth.  It also increases the (TEF).  See above

5. Exercise.  You become what you do.

SAID Principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand)

Cardiovascular Training: 

Adaptation…. Increase mitochondria and capillaries…increase utilization of the slow twitch muscle fibers…decrease the size of the fast twitch fibers.  Decrease size of the fast twitch fibers leads to lowering of the metabolism.  One of the main adaptations to aerobic training is caloric efficiency. The body begins to burn less calories to become more efficient at aerobic training. 

Strength Training: 

Adaptation…. Increase size of the fast twitch fibers... increase caloric expenditure... strengthen the cardiovascular system... increase bone density... increase joint mobility... increase proprioception (balance)... increase cognitive functioning.

Strength training has "muscled" its way beyond the realm of bodybuilding and is now encouraged for everyone to partake in.

A growing body of research shows that working out with weights has health benefits beyond simply bulking up one's muscles and strengthening bones. Studies are finding that more lean muscle mass may allow kidney dialysis patients to live longer, give older people better cognitive function (neurogenesis), reduce depression, and boost good cholesterol (HDL).

"Muscle is our largest metabolically active organ, and that's the backdrop that people usually forget," said Kent Adams, director of the exercise physiology lab at Cal State Monterey Bay. Strengthening the muscles "has a ripple effect throughout the body on things like metabolic syndrome and obesity."

When we hit middle age, muscle mass gradually diminishes by up to about 1% a year in a process called sarcopenia. Women also are in danger of losing bone mass as they age, especially after the onset of menopause. Some studies have shown that moderate to intense strength training not only builds skeletal muscle but increases bone density as well.

Strength training often takes a back seat to cardiovascular training, but it can benefit the heart in ways that its more popular cousin can't. During cardio exercise, the heart loads up with blood and pumps it out to the rest of the body: As a result, Potteiger said, "the heart gets better and more efficient at pumping."

"But during resistance training, muscles generate more force than they do during endurance exercises, and the heart is no exception”, Potteiger said. During a strength workout, the heart's muscle tissue contracts forcefully to push the blood out. Like all muscles, stress causes small tears in the muscle fibers. When the body repairs those tears, muscles grow. The result is a stronger heart, not just one that's more efficient at pumping.

Another big advantage of working out with weights is improving glucose metabolism, which can reduce the risk of diabetes. Strength training boosts the number of proteins that take glucose out of the blood and transport it into the skeletal muscle, giving the muscles more energy and lowering overall blood-glucose levels.

"If you have uncontrolled glucose levels," Potteiger said, "That can lead to kidney damage, damage to the circulatory system and loss of eyesight."

The benefits don't end there. A 2010 study in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology suggested that people on dialysis can benefit from building muscle. Researchers found that kidney dialysis patients who had the most lean muscle mass — a measurement derived from the circumference of the mid-arm muscle — were 37% less likely to die than the patients who had the least.

"This is something that has an impact on survival," said Dr. Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh, a principal researcher at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute and coauthor of the study. "It's not just about having more muscle and looking better — we're talking about life and death."

The brain may get a boost from the body's extra muscle as well. A 2010 study in Archives of Internal Medicine found that women ages 65 to 75 who did resistance training sessions once or twice a week over the course of a year improved their cognitive performance, while those who focused on balance and tone training declined slightly (So called “Functional/core training” is not as productive).
One reason for the improvement, researchers believe, may be that strength training triggers the production of a protein beneficial for brain growth. These studies are also promising for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients. Over a 6 month period of strength training, research showed a 10 to 15 % increase in neurons in the hippocampus area. This area is associated with memory and learning.

 

The Problem… (To be continued)

The Secret, the Facts, the Problem

                                "The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine”

                                                                                             ~ Mike Murdock

Happy New Year!

This time of year starts with much excitement…new changes…new plans…new beginnings. For some this will be business plans, for others it may be relationships.  But for most, it will be the ever elusive struggle for health.

Whether the goal is health (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar), cardio fitness, weight gain, or weight loss…there are three things that we must consider. These things will be presented in a three part series.

The Secret, the Facts, the Problem…

The Secret:

Metabolism….Human metabolism represents the sum total of the living cells’ energy producing and energy utilizing reactions.  Energy balance can be thought of as the combined processes of caloric intake, caloric storing, and caloric expenditure.

Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the term used to describe how much energy is used (or how many calories are burned) by an individual during a 24-hour period. TDEE is made up of three primary components:

Resting metabolism rate (RMR)

RMR accounts for 60-75% of all calorie-burning processes is the amount of energy required to keep homeostatic processes (the regulation of organ systems and body temperature) performing efficiently. The RMR is largely reflective of lean body mass...the greater the muscle mass...the greater the caloric expenditure...AT REST!

Thermic effect of physical activity (TEPA)

TEPA accounts for 15-30% of daily calorie burn depending on an individual’s activity level, which includes structured exercise as well as non-structured activity such as shivering and fidgeting.  Most recently, this non-structured movement has been coined the name NEAT, for non-exercise activity thermogenesis (Levine et al., 2005).

Thermic effect of feeding (TEF)

TEF is the energy required for the digestion, absorption, transport, metabolism and storage of consumed food. It accounts for approximately 10% of daily calorie burn.

The secret is you’re only as good as your metabolism. So create a body (increase LBM) that works for you, rather than you having to work for your body!

The Facts... (To be continued)

The Diet Circle

                        “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”

                                                                                                       ~ George Santayana

 

The Devil’s Circle by Stephen Batchelor

"A man lost in a desert can trudge for hours through the sands until he sees ahead of him an unmistakable line of foot prints leading to the horizon. But his joy on finding a trail turns to despair when he realizes the tracks are his own. Since one limb was a few millimeters longer than the other or habit or injury inclined him to step fractionally further with one leg, he consistently veered to the right or left. Without a path or landmark to guide him, he traced a vast circle while convinced he was walking in a straight line.”

This describes life’s tendency to repeat itself…

“Like someone lost in a desert, I feel compelled to struggle ahead, unaware that a devil’s circle will only bring me back to where I began. Through the years, I return again and again to the same stock obsessions. I flick through the tomb of my achievements in the blink of an eye only to feel that nothing has really happened. I am still the anxious and puzzled child who set out on the journey.”

How many times has this occurred in our efforts to lose weight?

“No matter what experience has taught us in the past, we insist on making the same mistakes again and again. A devil's circle is addictive. It raises you to dizzy heights of rapture only to bring you crashing down into thoughts of despair. Yet I do not hesitate to start the diabolic cycle again. I find it hard to resist the urge to go through the familiar and comforting motions of habit, even when I know that the end result will be the anxious craving to repeat the experience again.”

A path leads into unknown territory, whereas a circle goes over the same ground again and again. The enticing avenues that a devil’s circle offers are not paths at all.

“New paths are not familiar and secure. The new patterns we will create are not as stable or predictable as they once appeared. In the devil's circle, not only does the devil block the way to freedom, he tricks one into following paths that appear promising, but lead only to frustration and disillusion.”

Batchelor concludes… "In the end, we humans are the only adequate metaphor for the Devil"