365 Changes

Author: Craig Constantine

  • The Support System Gap

    Changing alone is possible but harder than necessary. Research by Christakis and Fowler shows human behavior is profoundly social—we eat what others eat, exercise when others expect us, maintain habits when others reinforce them. If you’re trying to change in isolation, you’re missing accountability, encouragement, and normalization. This companion covers why isolation makes change harder, types of support you might need, sources of support, how to ask for what you need, and creating support where none exists. (6 min read)

  • The Conference

    Conferences are eating obstacle courses: breakfast buffets, mid-morning pastries, boxed lunches, afternoon cookies, dinner receptions. Research by Baumeister on decision fatigue shows willpower depletes after hours of sessions. Your strategy: decide in advance which meals matter socially, eat those mindfully, let the rest pass. The omnipresent snacks fill time, not nutritional needs. This companion covers the food landscape, advance strategy, during-conference tactics, mental fatigue, and social navigation. (5 min read)

  • Intermittent vs. Continuous

    Intermittent fasting and continuous calorie restriction both reduce calories, but timing matters. Research by Heilbronn and colleagues shows intermittent approaches preserve metabolic rate better—the body distinguishes between “temporary absence of food” and “chronic food scarcity.” Extended fasting periods allow insulin to drop, activate autophagy, and unlock fat stores. Eating less constantly keeps insulin present. This companion covers the insulin story, metabolic adaptation, autophagy, hormonal responses, and which approach fits your patterns. (5 min read)

  • The Student

    The student approaches their body with curiosity rather than frustration. Research by Carol Dweck on growth mindset shows that viewing setbacks as learning transforms frustration into fascination. Each day is data—what worked, what didn’t, what patterns emerge. Instead of “I failed,” the student asks “What did I learn?” This companion covers the student mindset, what you’re learning about hunger and triggers, today’s experiment, recording lessons, and the ongoing curriculum. (6 min read)

  • The Self-Compassion Balance

    Too much self-compassion becomes excuses; too little becomes punishment. Research by Kristin Neff shows balanced self-compassion treats yourself like a good friend—with kindness but also honesty and expectation. Harsh criticism creates shame spirals that trigger more eating. Endless permission prevents change. The middle ground supports growth without cruelty. This companion covers the two extremes, the healthy middle, when compassion becomes excuse, when criticism becomes punishment, and finding your balance. (5 min read)

  • The Granola Supply

    Granola enjoys a powerful health halo while hiding dessert-level sugar. Research on health halos shows “healthy” labels increase consumption—people eat more when they believe food is good for them. Most commercial granola contains 10-15 grams sugar per small serving—a typical bowl delivers 30-40 grams, comparable to candy. Granola bars are often worse: cookies in healthy packaging. This companion covers the audit process, granola numbers, comparison to actual desserts, ingredient checks, and better alternatives. (5 min read)

  • The Baby Shower

    Baby showers are sugar festivals—cake, candy, punch, continuous grazing. Research on social eating shows events encourage consumption through proximity and social obligation. Your strategy: eat beforehand so you’re not hungry, choose one thing worth having if anything, skip the punch and candy bowls, and focus on the celebration. The event is about the baby, not sugar consumption. This companion covers the challenge, before and during strategies, the cake question, and social navigation. (5 min read)

  • Visceral Fat

    Not all fat is equal. Research by Després and Lemieux shows visceral fat—deep abdominal fat surrounding organs—is metabolically active and dangerous, secreting inflammatory chemicals and disrupting hormones. Subcutaneous fat you can pinch is relatively inert storage. Visceral fat strongly predicts heart disease, diabetes, and mortality independent of total weight. Waist circumference matters more than the scale. This companion covers the two fat types, why visceral fat is dangerous, measurement methods, and what increases or reduces it. (5 min read)

  • The Intentional Eater

    Every bite is a conscious choice, not a reflex. Research by Tribole and Resch on intuitive eating shows that awareness interrupts autopilot—the mindless grazing, the hand-to-mouth without thought, the eating because food is present. The intentional eater pauses before each eating decision: Am I hungry? What do I want? How much do I need? This companion covers automatic versus intentional eating, the intention check, building intentionality habits, and what conscious eating catches. (5 min read)

  • The Knowledge-Action Gap

    The gap between knowing and doing isn’t knowledge—it’s something else. Research shows information alone doesn’t change behavior; if it did, doctors wouldn’t smoke. The gap contains obstacles: environment that makes the wrong thing easy, emotions that override logic, habits that run on autopilot, beliefs that create resistance. Closing the gap requires identifying which obstacles are actually present. More information won’t help. This companion covers what’s actually in the gap, identifying your obstacles, and addressing them. (4 min read)