The Lies We Tell Ourselves

"This year, I'll finally lose that extra 20 pounds."

"This year, I'll really make the effort to exercise every day."

"This year, I'll eat healthier."

"This year..."

These are the lies we tell ourselves at the beginning of every new year. And every year, after a day, a week, or a month of keeping up with these big, sweeping life changes, we fall back into our normal patterns.

We go back to eating the same as we were before-maybe because we get tired of eating healthy. Or we miss the comfort and variety that come from foods that are high in fat and carbs. Maybe it's because despite the effort we've put into it, we aren't seeing results-it starts to not be worth the effort anymore.

Whatever the reason, life quickly goes back to normal. Before long, we've forgotten about the motivation and excitement we felt at the start. And once again, we find ourselves dealing with the same complaints, the same misery, the same disappointment that has come to be so ingrained in us that it's almost uncomfortable to be without it.

How, then, do we get past these challenges?

What does it take to make a real, lasting change?

If the answers to these questions were easy or obvious, everyone would be healthy and happy within themselves. The diet industry wouldn't be worth $60 billion. Nearly three-quarters of American adults would not be overweight or obese.

In short, if it was easy, we'd be doing it-and we'd be succeeding.

There is an idea that people who are overweight are lazy or unmotivated-that they fail because they don't try hard enough. But studies have shown repeatedly that that isn't quite the case.

A 2016 survey of the available scientific literature showed a correlation between altered dopamine receptors in the brains of people who are obese and an improper control of movement similar to that found in patients with Parkinson's disease. Impaired dopamine signals also affect our motivation and ability to act, a factor that is integrally related to depression as well as the capacity to exercise.

The underlying disease mechanism that causes the alteration in dopamine function is linked to chronic exposure to diets that cause obesity. Furthermore, limited research has shown that these changes tend to persist even after weight loss.

Therefore, the fundamental basis of our inability to lose weight and exercise is changes in the neurochemistry of our brains. So how do we fix that? Are we forever doomed to lack the necessary motivation to make these changes in our lives and improve our health?

The potential solution is two-fold. First, we have to increase our dopamine levels. Second, we have to engage in behaviors that help boost our motivation.

Not only do our diets alter dopamine receptors; the chronic misuse of drugs and alcohol can also cause your brain to stop producing dopamine on its own because they inflate dopamine themselves-our bodies simply adjust to the artificial increase by making less.

There are several things that experts recommend to increase your dopamine levels naturally. First, paradoxically, is exercise. Despite the obvious difficulty and contradiction this presents, regular exercise has consistently been shown to increase brain function through an increase in heart rate.

Physical activity isn't the only answer, though-there are certain supplements that have been shown to aid in dopamine production, as well as eating a diet high in tyrosine, which is found in "almonds, bananas, avocados, eggs, beans, fish, and chicken."

Surprisingly, our gut health has also been found to be related to dopamine levels. Even though it's a brain chemical, the balance of bacteria in our gut has been linked to many neurotransmitter imbalances that influence our mood and mental state, including serotonin and dopamine. Regular use of probiotics that help regulate the balance of bacteria in our gut can in turn aid in the body's ability to properly produce dopamine.

Other things-like listening to music, meditating, or getting a massage-are small, actionable changes that can be implimented to naturally increase dopamine levels.

Sleep also plays a vital role in our neurochemical health. It allows our body's cells, including those in our brains, to regenerate and maintain their respective functions. Conversely, not getting enough sleep is known to "reduce concentrations of neurotransmitters, including dopamine, and their receptors."

Aside from working to increase the dopamine levels in our brains, there are also behavioral changes that we can make to increase our motivation.

First, it's important to understand how important routines are to us as humans. Studies have shown that previous frequency of activities (routine) was actually more important than intention in predicting the future frequency of the same activities. In other words, the road to unchanged health is paved with good intentions.

There are other benefits of having a good routine, many of which are also helpful during stressful times like we're all dealing with right now. These include a decrease in stress, better sleep patterns, and improvements in dietary habits. Unpredictability, conversely, is linked to increased stress, interruptions in sleep, and opting for quick fixes and less healthy food options.

Routines also help mitigate some of the things that can lead us to make bad decisions that ultimately hurt our motivation-consistently good outcomes show us that improvement and positive change is possible, and the foresight of understanding that increasing behaviors that help us in our quest for good health in the short-term leads to long-term results.

In addition, the more good habits we are able to form, the less room there is for bad ones. Habits are regulated by impulses, so intentionally encouraging behaviors that will help us reach our goals eventually becomes impulse-driven rather than consciously motivated. Similar to how routines help us stay on track, intentionally forming good habits helps us increase the behaviors that help us stick to our goals.

When it comes to goals, it's also a good idea to stick to small, measurable ones rather than nonspecific proclamations of large-scale change. For example, it's better to set a goal of running a mile without stopping than deciding that you're going to run a marathon, or dividing a larger weight loss goal of 50 pounds into 10 pound increments. Building on small achievements, like running that mile, then a 5k, then a 10k, is optimal because it allows us to experience the excitement and gratification of reaching those goals instead of getting discouraged by not being able to run a marathon right out of the gate.

Another big factor in maintaining motivation is accountability. When we keep our ambitions to ourselves, it's easier to give up on them than if we tell someone else about them-or join forces with a friend who is also wanting to commit to similar goals. The built-in accountability that results from not wanting to disappoint someone else can be a powerful external galvanizing element in persisting through the times when our own internal motivation is flagging.

Breaking down the issue of long-term failure that ultimately results from a lack of motivation helps minimize the obstacles in the way of reaching our goals. Through identifying some of the things that might prevent us from staying motivated and intentionally working to increase behaviors that encourage motivation, we can strengthen our resolve and the likelihood of our success.

In times like these, the smallest of victories can seem monumental. By building on the positivity that emerges through our more minor achievements, we can reinforce the behaviors and actions that empower us to attain our larger goals.

It's often these everyday, repeated recommitments to an overall movement toward better health that help us succeed rather than the lies we tell ourselves-disguised as New Year's resolutions, cloaked in good intentions.

*This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, exercise, and medications.