drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
Over time, we learn to tie rewards to certain “triggers”, i.e. things in our environment which create an itch in our brain for a certain behavior.
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A classic example of a trigger is when you walk past a burger joint, smell the fresh sensation of burgers and fries, and end up feeling the urge to go buy a burger. Note that this can happen even if you aren’t hungry before smelling the burger. In this example, the smell is the trigger, buying the burger is the behavior, and the signal in your brain from getting loads of calories, fats and sugars is the reward. .
You might now realize that it is irrational to be mad at yourself for doing a certain behavior. Instead of focusing on the behavior, focus on the triggers and rewards so that you can succeed in changing your behavior.
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THE EVIDENCE: Tomiyama AJ, Mann T, Comer L. Triggers of eating in everyday life. Appetite. 2009;52(1):72-82.
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A classic example of a trigger is when you walk past a burger joint, smell the fresh sensation of burgers and fries, and end up feeling the urge to go buy a burger. Note that this can happen even if you aren’t hungry before smelling the burger. In this example, the smell is the trigger, buying the burger is the behavior, and the signal in your brain from getting loads of calories, fats and sugars is the reward. .
You might now realize that it is irrational to be mad at yourself for doing a certain behavior. Instead of focusing on the behavior, focus on the triggers and rewards so that you can succeed in changing your behavior.
.
THE EVIDENCE: Tomiyama AJ, Mann T, Comer L. Triggers of eating in everyday life. Appetite. 2009;52(1):72-82.
