If we could all try to learn healthier habits in a stress-free bubble
(real life, in other words), the going would be a lot easier. Who
hasn’t received an irritating email and had a sudden urge for a bag of
chips, not baked?
When it comes to weight loss, stress reduction is extremely important, according to Pam Peeke, MD, MPH, and author of the
The Hunger Fix.
"When life’s stresses hit, you must learn to adapt and adjust without
resorting to self-destructive habits—your False Fixes," she writes.
"Studies have shown," writes Peeke, "that forming what is referred to
as an implementation intention (‘If I encounter situation X, then I
will perform behavior Y"’) increases your probability of carrying out
your goals.
"These problem-solving skills require creativity, and by flexing
those cognitive and creative muscles…you’ll also exercise and thus
strengthen your PFC [prefrontal cortex], giving you a Healthy Fix that
will make you more creative! Definition of a virtuous cycle."
