Friday, October 22, 2021

Diaita

  

 I had a conversation with a friend about his weight. That conversation was the impetus for this essay. Weight and weight loss are major concerns for many in our country. There are a variety of diets from which to choose. We also know that these various diets are terrific for short-term weight loss but do not seem to hold up over the long term. Our Stone Age ancestors did not have the same concerns even though they had the same brain physiology as we do. They either starved or got their full and spent a lot of energy walking, running, finding shelter etc. Back in the 1950s, the food portions at Howard Johnson’s was Spartan like. Not today, as Linda and I recently shared breakfast in Sausalito and dinner in Tiburon. Yes, one does not go away hungry from the restaurant. This essay lists a few suggestions for successful long-term weight loss.

The biological cravings for fat, sweets and salt existed for our Stone Age cousins and for us as well. According to research, a fetus is able to distinguish between flavors. Therefore, at birth, a preference for sweets has likely been established. If breast-fed, we have an additional source that allows us to discriminate between food preferences. So, with our beginnings, we have already established sensory memories of the taste for sweet, fat and salt. These sensory memories have been paired with pleasure rewards. As a result, we began our cravings for these tastes early in life. In essence we have a history that has established a craving for foods that has been associated with pleasure and reward.

The cravings from these hyper palatable foods result in strong reward circuits found in the brain. Our brain allows us to anticipate the reward and that activity becomes reinforced by the tasting and eating of the desired, pleasurable food. This reinforced pattern of craving and eating is repeated again and again and it simply does not decline in intensity. Why should it? In essence, we are wired to crave the pleasurable foods. If the stimulus was powerful enough, novel enough, administered or reinforced intermittently, we are hooked. In other words, we are wired and vulnerable for sweet, fat and salt addictions and/or the foods we love to consume.

Briefly, with the physiological hunger need or drive from a psychoanalytic point of view, a mental image of food is formed in the id. With the id dynamic, there is ego. The ego has been referred as the executive function of personality. Within the ego, the properties of thinking, deciding, planning, obtaining and procuring food becomes available to the individual to satisfy the need. In other words, through thinking, the choices or patterns of how and in what manner become available and likely repeated. Will the executive functions of the ego engage in the healthy or unhealthy? In essence, the established patterns becomes a repetition compulsion by repeating the similar act over and over as the means to satisfy the need. If erroneous unhealthy choices are made as in non-nutritious, food amount, binge eating etc. the result becomes self-defeating. Thus, repetition compulsion describes automatic “non rational thinking “perseverative behavior. Yes, a well-functioning executive ego is paramount. Moreover, do not forget that the first stage and area of pleasure is the mouth, lips and tongue or the oral zone. And if there are too many deficits, inconsistencies, insecurities and dependencies during this stage of development, with fixation, this unmet need becomes extremely difficult to satisfy during the lifecycle. This behavior becomes a tendency to develop into an oral character.

However, there is hope because of the mechanism of displacement. With the displacement mechanism, an individual can make other decisions and changes regarding types of food, size, substitutions etc. in order to satisfy the ongoing physiological requirement to eat. As a result, individual plasticity, versatility and motivational behavior can easily be observed in dealing with the hunger need.

It is obvious that eating behavior can and often becomes destructive. This destructive behavior exhibits itself with an unconscious wish to die accompanied by the superego’s guilt. These self-destructive behaviors certainly speed up the inevitable and result in a disastrous aging process. In essence, self-destruction is part of the aggressive drive or instinct which means self-destructiveness turned inward. In other words, the libido or self-preservation drive or instinct becomes blocked by the counter will of the destructive instincts or needs of which hate is a derivative.  If so, we have a guilty conscience in which hate is now turned inward. The obesity rates are staggering and so are the rates of hate and aggression.

Now from a behavioral over view- food cravings are reinforced and result in eating behaviors that becomes our habits or addictions. Briefly, addictive behavior begins with the following: 1. Craving, a positive reinforcement, for highly palatable foods 2. Anticipating and consuming foods for positive reinforcement 3. Habitually, consuming poor food nutrition again and again without any short-term negative consequences. In essence we become more sensitive and become more proficient in identifying and acting on the cues that leads us to anticipate the rewarding foods irrespective of long-term negative outcomes.

Typically, the difference in most popular weight loss diets {restricting oneself to small amounts of special kinds of food in order to lose weight} are based on the ratios of proteins, carbohydrates, and fat. A number of studies have evaluated low-fat, low-carb diet plans; as well as the long-term effects of these plans. Not surprisingly, research studies find and demonstrate that the macronutrient content of the diet whether it is high-fat, low-fat, high carb, low-carb etc. do not result in any significant long term weight loss. It’s believed that for the most part, it’s the calories which count. It’s not the sources of calories that make the difference for weight loss. Let’s face it, long-term weight loss requires more than restriction alone. It involves a lifestyle change that includes changing the environment, eating habits and importantly exercise behavior. In other words, think about the Greek word “diaita” from which the word diet was derived. The Greek word means “way of life.”

A National Weight Control Registry or NCWR study with over 10,000 individuals reported that those able to lose weight and keep it off were described as the following: 1. 98% modified their food intake in some way to lose weight 2. 94% increased their physical activity. The most frequently reported physical activity was walking 3. 78% ate breakfast every day 4. 75% weighed themselves at least once a week 5.  62% watched less than 10 hours of television a week 6. 90% exercised an average about one hour a day.

Controlling a growing stomach and/or hunger pangs is a major factor in both losing weight and maintaining an ideal weight. Food choices can significantly affect hunger and food cravings. A few tips: 1. Eat solid foods as opposed to liquids 2. Consume more low-energy and high-volume foods 3. Fill up on fiber 4. Boost the protein 5. Choose foods with combined benefits that are high in fiber and protein. Low-fat dairy has the benefits of high protein and moderate calorie density. 5. Timing is everything as eating slowly has a significant effect on hunger. It takes about 20 minutes for a full stomach to signal the brain to suppress its hunger pangs. Eat and consume slowly.

Roughly 50 years ago in my 30s, I began somewhat inconsistent recreational running. Then, about 25 years ago, I began competitive running. I also added, at that time, making better food choices, creation of morning smoothies, whey protein, adding stevia, paying more attention to sugar, fat and salt intake and eliminating beer and alcohol.

This paragraph brings to mind my first ride and tie in Cool. At one of the aid stations there were delicious sweet rolls. After finishing one of the sweet rolls, that mental image stayed in my mind throughout that next loop. I could not wait to get back to that aid station to devour another sweet roll. What a welcomed reinforcement. Also, at every competitive event, I look forward to the finish line when I can guzzle down a Coke or Pepsi. Further, after every competition with Tony, we divert our attention and proceed to the nearest Ben & Jerry’s. In essence, I do not think about diet but instead think about my well-deserved future reward.

With the unhealthy misuse within the food industry, our psychological and physiology of craving along with the power of addictions, at the oral stage, becomes a repetition compulsion. It becomes easy to explain weight gain. We also know that eating behavior has to do with choices or the executive functions of the ego. We also know that it’s important to be aware of food choice alternatives or displacements as well as the health consequences for our actions.  Being older, in this case, presents more challenges based on one’s physiology, psychoanalytic and learning theory. If we have a history of making poor food choices, then changing or altering that behavior becomes extremely difficult. The chemists in the food industry are well aware of man’s physiological cravings, and that coupled with tremendous sized food portions and food chemical additives simply provides negative consequences for a healthy weight status. Prudent decision-making is about change, displacement and suppressing old reinforcement patterns. One requires a Sisyphus focus for sticking to a reasonable eating regime.  Don’t forget to add exercise to the equation. The key is having an ego with a well-developed executive functioning of personality for a successful lifestyle change. Further, wash your hands, wear a face covering, implement social distancing, get vaccinated, vote and keep your distance from the police.

PS

Linda and I stopped by to chat with The Monster of Massage- Veloyce. He looked thinner than I had ever seen him. I commented and he replied “I am not getting enough calories. I stop at Ikeda’s and eat a pie before I go home.” We all laughed. Add the Charles Dickens quote-No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.

References

Institute for Natural Resources. Cognition, Diets, and Longevity

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