How To Lose Weight Without Giving Up Carbs And Booze - Impossible? Part 1 of 2

I’m going to make an important list, and I suggest you take notes.

1.    Dessert

2.    Carbs

3.    Alcohol

4.    Eating after 8 p.m.

5.    Sugar—of any kind

6.    _____________

What else can you add that you've been told is bad? Maybe dairy, gluten, or non-organic foods?

Have your list? Good. This is a painting of your life. How does it look to you? A work of art? Something that makes you smile? Maybe that’s how some of you feel, but most of you don't like the way it looks. And that's a good thing.

Because that is a list of all the things I want you to keep in your life in 2017.

Confused? Don’t worry, I'm not drunk on leftover eggnog. I’m trying to break you of the mindset that does much more harm than good. The diet industry lives in an ocean of body negativity, twisted science, and behavioral Russian roulette. Step into the wrong extreme behavior, and who knows what the long-term consequences might be. I've watched far too many people start out innocently wanting to lose a few pounds in the New Year and come out frustrated and angry at themselves.

Not cool. Not fair. Not something I'm willing to stand for anymore. And you shouldn’t either.

Diet, nutrition, and any other food-related topic shouldn’t feel like Mission: Impossible.

 After all, this is food we’re talking about. The stuff you need to eat every day, and the stuff you should be enjoying as part of the many joys in life. I don’t care if it’s biting into a juicy steak, enjoying some pasta, or smiling between every bite of your dessert—food should be enjoyed. And I blame the diet industry for making you believe anything to the contrary.

This January, I want you to try something different. Call it a rebellion, a revolution, or just a renaissance, but we’re taking back food and enjoyment and reinventing it with a practical, scientifically supported approach to eating, living, and being healthier. I won’t make any promises, but if you choose this approach, you won’t return next January with the same frustration.

I know you're probably thinking: “Why should I trust the man offering desserts? Sounds like a scam.” But I make a living designing fitness and nutrition for real life. That means including foods you love, creating workouts that fit your schedule, and never ever ever setting false expectations.

So let’s start with a different New Year’s checklist:

• No juice cleanses
• No expensive supplements
• No restrictive approaches that will leave you miserable and reaching for every food you miss
• No four-week fixes

The Willpower Equation

Everyone likes to talk about willpower—and for good reason: It’s a real thing that influences your ability to take on tasks. But your willpower is limited. For real. The area of your brain that controls your willpower is located in your prefrontal cortex (you might remember this from biology as the area directly behind your forehead). It’s the same part of your brain that helps you with day-to-day tasks—everything from short-term memory to focus.

The prefrontal cortex is busy at all times. So whenever you take on a new behavior—especially one as big as getting in shape, exercising, and eating better—it’s like having a massive project dropped in your lap and being told everyone else in the office is too busy to help.

The result is that new actions can be very (very) hard to execute. In fact, it’s more than your brain can handle, meaning you default to old or undesirable behaviors.

Here’s how manipulative your brain can be. In a well-known study, two groups were given a number to remember. One group needed to remember a two-digit sequence, whereas the other needed to remember seven digits (both short-term memory tasks). The two groups walked down a hallway where they were presented an option of snacks: fruit salad or chocolate cake.

What happened? Those who had to remember the seven-digit sequence were two times more likely to dig into cake instead of opting for fruit.

Researchers refer to this as "cognitive load." The more space you’re taking up in the prefrontal cortex, the harder it is to make certain decisions. That’s why you need to prepare accordingly, so you have enough willpower to take on new tasks.

This is one of the reasons resolutions are such a flawed concept. If you’re trying to change 10 behaviors at the same time, it’s nearly impossible to succeed.

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