How Your Brain Chemicals Are Making You Fat & What To Do About It

Ever wonder why you can't lose weight even though you really want to? Wonder why most of your weight is all sitting around your middle? Wonder why you're feeling unmotivated? Wonder why you're feeling depressed? Anxious? Both?

The four main neurotransmitters (dopamine, Acetycholine, GABA, serotonin) in your brain hold the key. They direct our personality, our character, our memory, and our attention.  And although they direct all these things, our behaviors, actions, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings can influence them. We really are in charge and in control of who we want to be and what we want to accomplish in our lives. We can reach our objectives and goals easier and quicker by utilizing thinking patterns, behavior patterns, and belief patterns (which all influence our neurotransmitters).

Here's a quick example: If one has excess Acetylcholine (me), one has the tendency to be driven, goal-oriented, and prone to anxiety. If one is deficient in GABA (me), one has difficulty relaxing and often feels anxious and nervous. Double whammy of anxiety!

This is how the above example figures in to the food, weight, and health thing: A person with excess Acetycholine and deficient GABA may use food to find calm. Overprocessed carbs, sugar, and/or alcohol/drugs will probably be over-consumed to produce temporary sedation (termporary relief from anxiety).  This person will most likely experience extreme cravings for foods like chocolate and carbs.  This person will tend to over-exercise, producing injury and illness.

Here's one example of how I use the knowledge of my neurotransmitter dominance and deficiency: When I put on a few (or four) extra pounds after a vacation (which just happened) I immediately eat foods that produce more GABA in my brain which helps me stay on track with my eating and reduces my cravings. I supplement with glutamine and eat a lot of shellfish (produces GABA). I also change how I exercise for a week. Instead of only short, intense bursts, I switch out for some longer, less intense bike rides.  I make sure my brain is producing more GABA is by spending 15 minutes every day relaxing (to turn off the hormone cortisol). I schedule this relaxation time into my day so it actually happens. Usually it's using a mindfulness technique or a bath or a quiet walk. This allows me to quickly and easily lose weight. 

The fun part is that we can figure out neurotransmitter dominance and deficiency through a research-based, quick, and simple written assessment. No blood draw needed. Our current dominant and deficient neurotransmitters are due to our genetics, our past experiences, our beliefs, our current behaviors, etc. But they can be changed by small behaviors performed on a daily basis. By understanding and utilizing them, one can begin to have an easier and quicker time creating the life one truly wants to live (including the body one wants to live this life in).

My passion in life is to help others live their most amazing life. I provide life-design and daily structure to get people living the life they have always wanted as well as the bodies they have always wanted. I provide an accountability component to people's programs. Research tells us accountability is the number one element that drives people to reach their health, fitness, and life goals..... But I'll save that for another post.

You cannot reach your weight, fitness, and life goals by willpower alone.  None of us can. We can reach our objectives and goals easier and quicker by utilizing thinking patterns, behavior patterns, and belief patterns (which all influence our neurotransmitters). Fun stuff!