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DIABETES PREVENTIONDIABETES PREVENTION::the WEIGHT the WEIGHT is over!is over!

What you need to What you need to THINK!THINK!

Valerie Myers, PhD.Dept of Behavioral Medicine

Division of Education

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Why do we eat?Why do we eat?

The simple answer: “because we’re hungry!”

But what else?

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Eating in Our SocietyEating in Our SocietyE ti f th j t Eating for many more reasons than just because we’re hungry (sometimes good, sometimes not)

Early humans Early humans Famine

Modern AmericaLOTS of good-tasting food available, accessibleMedia advertisementsNot much necessity for physical activity

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Emotional EatingEmotional Eating

People overeat as a way to reduce negative thoughts and feelings about themselves.

To avoid these thoughts/feelings people may focus To avoid these thoughts/feelings, people may focus on immediate aspects of the environment (e.g., smell, texture, taste of food) rather than thinking about goals for healthy eating/weight loss.

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Emotional EatingEmotional Eating

Emotional eating is not always a bad thing

When is it good? not so good?

In what situations do people tend to eat emotionally? (positive and negative)

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Blame Your Brain?Blame Your Brain?

The brain is involved in all that you doHow you:ThinkFeelFeelAct

Who you are:The different “roles” you play

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The “Cycle”The “Cycle”

Thoughts

FeelingsBehaviors

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Automatic ThoughtsAutomatic Thoughts

Just below threshold of awareness Accessible Lead to emotion Can be positive or negative Can be positive or negative

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O G S FEELINGSEVENT THOUGHTS FEELINGS

“Bad” lab results

“I am going todie sooner.”

Anger, fear

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Toxic ThoughtsToxic Thoughts

Polarized thinkingeverything is seen as an extreme and there is no middle

ground

“Should”-ingreprimanding yourself for things you should have done

Magnifyingg y gblowing problems out of proportion

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Thoughts and Healthy LivingThoughts and Healthy Living

Your thinking impactsMotivationReadinessAbility to Maintain positive changes over timeAbility to Maintain positive changes over time

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Health Belief ModelHealth Belief Model

Behavior change is determined by whether people

perceive themselves to be susceptible to a particular health problemparticular health problem (If I smoke, I might get cancer.)

believe the problem is serious (How bad is getting cancer?) (How bad is getting cancer?)

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Health Belief ModelHealth Belief Model

Perceived Susceptibility Perceived Seriousness Perceived Benefits of Taking Action Barriers to Taking Action Barriers to Taking Action Cues to Actions

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Social Learning TheorySocial Learning Theory

Must believe you have the needed skills to change behavior (self-efficacy) before you will take action

Skill development comes through modeling Modeling is most effective when it addressesprior attempts to change behavior strategies that were and were not successful g ideas to help succeed this time

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Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change) Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change)

5 discrete stages of change

People move from one stage to the next in the f hprocess of change

May repeat stages several times before achieving lasting change

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Stages of ChangeStages of Change

PrecontemplationContemplationPreparationActionMaintenance

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TipsTips

Know your level of readinessOn a scale of 0-10, how ready are you to start

making a change?

Know your level of motivationOn a scale of 0-10, how motivated are you?

Know your WHYWrite down why you want to make a change.

What is your purpose?

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TipsTips

Make your Thinking a priorityWhat kind of thinker are you?What influences your positive and negative

thoughts?thoughts?

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Tips: 6 main stepsTips: 6 main stepsS 1 Id if h i i h i h i f di Step 1 : Identify the situation-what is the trigger of distress.

Step 2 : Identify the emotion – rate its intensity.

Step 3: Identify thoughts –including automatic thoughts that preceded emotionpreceded emotion

Step 4 : Challenging thoughts and beliefs. Evidence for and against the thoughts.

Step 5: Respond to unhelpful thoughts – replace automaticStep 5: Respond to unhelpful thoughts replace automatic thoughts helpfully and realistically.

Step 6 : Reevaluate belief/ thoughts/ emotion.

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Tips: Effective Emotional EatingTips: Effective Emotional Eating

Make a conscious decision to allow yourself self-soothing eating

Notice the point of diminishing returns (the point Notice the point of diminishing returns (the point at which you’re not enjoying it anymore)If you feel better after having a treat, then you have used

food effectively.

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Tips: Effective Emotional EatingTips: Effective Emotional EatingS lf th ith t f d Self-soothe without foodFocus on your sensesDeep breathing, physical activity, take a

bath, look at art

Do something funWatch a movie, talk on the phone, read, etc.

Keep your hands busyp y yPet an animal, clean, paint your nails,

knitting/needlepoint