Tag: Troubleshooting

FOMO-driven eating comes from a scarcity mindset: this opportunity is rare and won’t come again. But most “special” foods are always available. Research shows FOMO is driven by unmet psychological needs, and the food environment exploits it. The antidote: abundance thinking. There will always be more desserts, more parties. Missing this one costs you nothing. Eating from FOMO isn’t enjoyment — it’s compulsion. This companion covers the FOMO mechanism, what it looks like, reframing scarcity, and practicing abundance. (3 min read)

Certain foods and habits form a pro-inflammatory pattern: refined carbs, added sugars, trans fats, ultra-processed foods, and excessive alcohol. Others anchor an anti-inflammatory pattern: fatty fish, leafy greens, berries, nuts, olive oil, and ginger. Chronic inflammation is linked to many conditions — metabolic dysfunction, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, joint pain. Diet is one modifiable lever. This companion covers what chronic inflammation is, foods that promote or reduce it, the bigger picture (sleep, stress, gut health), and what to do. (5 min read)

When you slip up, you’re in a vulnerable state: shame high, the what-the-hell effect looming, self-control strained. Research on if-then planning shows that naming the response in advance helps keep a setback from derailing the whole effort. Decide now: return to normal eating at the next meal, don’t compensate with restriction, don’t spiral. When the slip happens, execute the plan instead of improvising. This companion covers why you need a plan, what it includes, what a plan can and cannot do, and minimizing damage from inevitable setbacks. (4 min read)

Your excuses are predictable: they show up in the same situations, wearing the same disguises. And “defenses are down” is literal: stress dampens the prefrontal machinery of deliberate choice while hyperactivating reward circuits. Writing excuses down exposes them; preparing counters in advance is well-evidenced, with a medium-to-large effect on follow-through across 94 studies. Two cautions the popular version of this technique skips: make the counter a redirection rather than a reprimand, because self-criticism after a lapse drives more eating, not less; and don’t expect it to become automatic right away. A prepared counter buys you the moment to choose, it…

The scale captures one dimension, and day-to-day fluctuations can obscure real progress. Research on weight maintenance shows self-monitoring correlates with success — the case here is for adding measures, not for abandoning the scale. Photos and measurements capture changes the scale misses: body composition shifts, fat redistribution, visible differences that accumulate gradually. Objective evidence against “nothing is changing.” This companion covers why the scale isn’t enough, what photos capture, how to do it effectively, and the motivation function. (4 min read)

Punishment through restriction after overeating creates a binge-restrict cycle that makes things worse. Research by Polivy on dieting and binging shows restriction increases hunger, cravings, and food preoccupation — setting up the next overeat. The restriction isn’t penance; it’s setup for the next binge. Breaking the cycle requires responding to overeating with normalcy, not punishment. This companion covers the binge-restrict cycle, why restriction backfires, the punishment instinct, and the alternative. (3 min read)

You’ve reached a comfortable weight but not your goal weight. Comfort is seductive — urgency fades, easy gains are captured, external pressure diminishes. Research by Locke and Latham on goal setting shows meaningful goals drive continued effort, and specific demanding goals outperform vague ones. Is your original goal still meaningful, or should it be revised? If you decide to press on, the best-evidenced move is monitoring: across 138 randomized studies, getting people to track progress raised goal attainment, and it worked better when results were reported to someone and written down. This companion covers why comfort emerges, comfort as trap…

External validation is unreliable fuel — people don’t always notice, comments taper off, visible progress slows. Research by Deci and Ryan on self-determination shows internal motivation is more sustainable than external rewards. Connect your eating to your own values, measure what matters to you, find satisfaction in the process. This companion covers why external validation is fragile, building internal motivation, identity over validation, and what to do when the compliments stop coming. (3 min read)

Overthinking exhausts you because you have too many decisions. The familiar explanation is decision fatigue, a model that has not settled — but the fix does not depend on which way it lands. The solution: fewer decisions, not better deliberation. Create defaults, rules, routines. Eat the same breakfast. Have go-to meals. Define foods as “always,” “never,” or “sometimes.” This companion covers why overthinking happens, how to simplify through templates and rules, routines that work, and when thinking is actually appropriate — upstream, not in the moment. (4 min read)

You’ve lost and regained the same weight before — something about the approach was unsustainable. Research by Fothergill on Biggest Loser contestants found metabolic adaptation persists years later, requiring fewer calories just to maintain. Was it too restrictive? Did it rely on willpower alone? Was it temporary? This time must be different: sustainability from day one. This companion covers why yo-yo happens, what usually goes wrong, and what would actually be different this attempt. (4 min read)