Why Can't I Just Say "No"?

Do you ever wonder why you can’t just say “NO” to processed food? A high concentration of potent ingredients increases desire for more of the same. Repeated exposure to a taste or flavor leads to increased acceptance for foods or beverages characterized by that taste or flavor. The desired intensity of the sensation is directly related to the concentration of the compounds responsible for the sensation. By creating a powerful and novel sensory experience (i.e. a salient food) that is offered in large portions and aggressively marketed, the food industry is fostering “conditioned hypereating.” “Conditioned hypereating” is the consumption of hyperpalatable (salient) foods that triggers a surge of dopamine, which serves to reinforce eating behavior. When you are being mindful, being conscious and present in your body, you can step out of that crazy making moment of “conditioned hypereating” and nurture your needs in ways that are truly satisfying. Hypnosis can help you create those good moments of healthy nurturing.

Highly rewarding food becomes reinforcing because we’ve learned that it makes us feel better, thus motivating us to return and do the work necessary to feel better again. Our memory codes that food cue as one that can predict reward (or an emotionally-valued experience). Eventually, not only the food cue itself, but a paired stimulus (eg. site of a refrigerator) can arouse anticipation of reward and evoke desire. This is known as “incentive salience” (the desire, activated by cues, for something that predicts reward). Once a cue gains incentive salience, dopamine pushes us to continue to pursue that object.

The more the cycle is repeated, the more dopamine release reinforces and strengthens the association, the more salient the food cue becomes. The more potent (eg. multisensory) the cue (or paired/conditioned stimuli), the greater the reward, the stronger the learning experience, the more likely the action is to be repeated. Actions that lead to pleasure become imprinted in the brain and the habit of pursuit becomes automatic, firmly established.

Learn hypnosis and stop the “conditioned hypereating”. People at my Seattle hypnosis and Bainbridge Island hypnosis offices learn self-hypnosis so that they can be mindful – so that they can create a good moment and say “NO” to junk food. Use hypnosis and make this a good moment for you.

Check out Slender For Life™ and call (206) 903-1232 or email for your free consultation.

Remember to sign up for your FREE 8-part audio course, Understanding Hypnosis, at the right side of this page NOW!