Download the "Breakloop" Chart by clicking here.
Who wants to feel like shit after they just smoked a bowl? A lot of the foods we consume can easily be loaded with sugars or extras that we really don't need.
When I first decided to start Dusty Beetles, I was sitting in an office with my friend discussing how a lot of modern foods can make us feel. One of the biggest things I realized at the time, was the fact that a lot of the foods I consumed made me feel pretty groggy after I'd get the munchies. Whenever I got hungry, I would have STRONG cravings for processed foods that were pretty harmful to my health.
We realized that these cravings weren't necessarily caused by the cannabis we were consuming, but it was initially linked to the food choices we were already making. For some people, it's quite easy to play the blame game and shift responsibility of "what it is" to something else.
I grew up being conditioned that consuming cannabis made you crave really unhealthy junk foods.
So what exactly is happening in the "munchie loop"?
When we eat unhealthy foods, such as processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats, our bodies release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasure and reward. This can lead to a cycle of cravings and binging, as we seek to replicate the pleasurable feeling that we get from eating unhealthy food.
In addition, unhealthy foods can disrupt our blood sugar levels and gut microbiome, which can also contribute to cravings. For example, when we eat sugary foods, our blood sugar levels spike and then crash, which can lead to feelings of hunger and fatigue. This can make it more difficult to resist cravings for unhealthy foods later in the day.
What can we do about it?
I'm NOT going to tell you to start eating bugs. The reason I encourage others to eat insects simply boils down to making a choice to do something profoundly different than what you are used to experiencing.
That's not the point of this post though. Having the ability to make choices like eating a giant June beetle can have a long-lasting impact on your whole life. Making hard choices requires exercising making hard choices. It's as simple as that.
Did you know making hard choices activates the pre-frontal cortex? Your pre-frontal cortex is activated when it comes to making tough choices and a lot of our "addictive impulses" seem to be correlated with a lot of mid-brain activity. When we get these cravings for junk food and what I'd call "mid-brain activities".
So let's break the loop!
The "Breakloop" Chart
I designed the "Breakloop" Chart to make it super easy to build up your endurance when it comes to "breaking the food loop". The purpose is to ultimately help build a better relationship with food & decision-making.
Using the "Breakloop" Chart is pretty simple. Each day, you read the habits listed in the chart, and when you make ANY amount of progress towards those habits, you mark the progress. You continue to build this up every day you are making progress.
Eventually, you'll notice that your relationship with food has changed quite a lot. How can this change our relationship with food though?
Our relationship with food
can be driven by a multitude of factors in our lives. For example, relationships, stress, environmental issues, and sex all play a huge role in our relationship with food.
Considering eating healthier food
is literally the first step we must take when it comes to eating healthier foods. It's like planting a seed and as we plant that seed in our mind every single day we get to water it. As you consider eating healthier foods in your mind, you get a chance to water those ideas.
Doing a creative activity
when you get cravings for unhealthy or junk food can really help activate your pre-frontal cortex which is associated with executive decision-making and the ability to make hard choices. Creativity is at the forefront of change.
Noticing your impulses helps
you tune into your bodily signals. As you pay attention to how your body feels, you can build your awareness of your signals. Our body has many signals it sends us throughout the day and some of those signals can help us make better decisions.
Expressing gratitude
when you eat a meal will associate eating with a mindset that has a general overall positive outlook. Having a positive outlook when it comes to food will help us build a stronger relationship when it comes to the choices we make with food.
Down for a challenge?
Download the "Breakloop" Chart by clicking here.
Complete a full chart and shoot an email to [email protected] and let me know how it works for you
