Aug 9, 2012 2:07pm
Addiction expert Dr. Mike Dow, author of Diet Rehab, host of TLCs Freaky Eaters and co-host of VH1s Couples Therapy, offers these five steps for getting your diet back on track.
Tune into Nightlinetonight at 11:35 p.m. ETto see howDr. Mike Dows 28-day Diet Rehab plan helped one former plus-size model bring down her weight.
Credit: ABC News
Step 1: Ask yourself: What am I truly missing in my life? The answer to this question will help you understand what your brain is really hungry for and if youre low on serotonin, dopamine, or both. If you need more serenity, stability, or happiness in your relationship or job, you may be low on serotonin. If you need less boredom, more adventure, or to feel like youre living and not just existing, its dopamine you need. Sugar and processed carbohydrates provide short-term boosts of serotonin, and high fat foods provide short-term boosts of dopamine. But using soda, pizza, and fries to try and feel better right now will prevent you from getting the serotonin and dopamine youre craving in the long-run.
Take the full serotonin and dopamine quizzes HERE: http://www.drmikedow.com/diet-rehab/serotonin-quiz
Step 2: When youre craving an unhealthy food today, try adding a serotonin or dopamine booster activity. The serenity of a 10 minute walk in the middle of a busy work day will give you a sustainable boost of serotonin you would have gotten from that candy bar or soda. And the vitality youll get from reconnecting with an old friend will give you the same boost of dopamine you would have gotten from those potato chips or fries.
Other serotonin booster activities could include cuddling with your significant other or a pet, joining a support group, listening to classical music, doing errands on foot, or looking into someones eyes when youre talking to them. Dopamine booster activities include asking a special someone on a date, cooking something youve never made before, getting eight hours of sleep tonight, attending a bootcamp-style fitness class, or hitting the playground with the kids. Come up with your own booster activities to start to change your brain chemistry here and now.
Step 3: Eat more food to lose more weight! Now that you realize what youre adding to your life is more important than what youre taking away, eat more booster foods today. Booster foods are healthy foods that give your brain a slow, steady release of serotonin or dopamine while staying in your stomach about twice as long as those unhealthy pitfall foods. Youll feel fuller, longer. This makes it easier to choose even more booster foods throughout the day.
Serotonin booster foods like high fiber cereal, whole fruit, or high fiber pasta and veggies in marinara sauce give you this chemical associated with happiness and peace in a healthy way. Dopamine booster foods like green tea, grilled chicken, or Greek yogurt give you a steady boost of this feel-good chemical associated with motivation, productivity, and vigor.
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Rehab Your Diet in 5 Simple Steps
