You’re Totally in Control of What You Eat, Right?

Why is it so hard to be good? You try to eat right. You try to shed those extra pounds. You’re brain tells you to eat the broccoli and not the donuts, right?

Seems like an age old problem, but here’s some new science: you may be wired for those donuts. Thankfully, knowing that may help you beat those bad habits.

In a recent issue of Current Biology, Johns Hopkins researchers find that when people see something that reminds them of a past reward, their brains flush with dopamine, a chemical that among other reactions, enhances your perceptions of pleasure. As a result, you may not have so much control over what you eat and when you eat it.

In other words, you might go for a healthier option… if it weren’t for that big burger begging your brain to make a different decision. Dopamine gives the burger the advantage.

Click here to see how CNN reported on the study.

This eye-opening perspective from a 2015 Superbowl ad is right on point.

So, don’t be so hard on yourself. When those unhealthy fat-filled, sugar-loaded concoctions are placed purposefully in your line of sight, your brain may not be as helpful as you think! Are there changes you could make to reduce those temptations? Now that’s food for thought.