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Food & Drink > The Dopamine Made Me Do It!

The Dopamine Made Me Do It!

Last night, I ate a nice meal--not too much, not too little. I was satisfied. I then went to the basement and walked around for 15', as recommended by those in the know.

Niney minutes later (8:30), I had some dessert (a yellow cake choc chip bar with ice cream) and a half cup of coffee.
30' later I nibbled on some peanuts. Soon thereafter, I chewed on some dehydrated apple slices. At 10:00 I had to have my salt fix, so I ate some corn chips. Then before I brushed my teeth, I ate a piece of dark chocolate.

WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME??? I couldn't stop snacking! And this happens on a regular basis.

Well, I read in this morning's newspaper that I'm not the only person that does this. Biologically, my snacking habit is wired into my brain. I'm driven to nibble into the evening.

All my life, I've convinced myself that I have strong willpower--a self-control hubris that I could handle temptations. Wrong. I've been deluding myself.

According to the article, the brain's pleasure pathway leading toward an immediate reward is stronger than willpower. It's the fudge vs. broccoli choice. Guess which wins? It's like we have no control.

"Just how that bit of happiness (fudge) turns into a habit involves a pleasure-sensing chemcal named dopamine. It conditions the brain to want that reward again and again--reinforcing the connection each time--especially when it gets the right cue from your environment."

I'm not sure what that cue is. Perhaps it's inactivity, sitting in front of the television with a book in my lap. Maybe it's simply having the snacks within arm's reach. Whatever it is, I can't seem to help myself.

This dopamine thing is my devil. Yes, I exercise a lot--and for good reason! I can't stop snacking. True, I'm thin. But it's not from self-control on my eating habits! I work very hard at keeping my waistline slim, body trim. "I'm in great shape for the shape I'm in". But something's gotta give.
Rationalizing that my snacks--dark chocolate, apples, salty chips, peanuts--are good for me, is not healthy choice.

Hence, a new New Years Resolution: STOP THE SNACKING!
We'll see who wins the battle, but I'm determined.

posted on Jan 4, 2011 6:13 AM ()

Comments:

I do the same thing - eat at night. I've heard that you should
make your largest meal earlier in the day, but I find that I can't
eat much for breakfast or I feel sick, and eating a larger lunch
doesn't stop me from having a larger supper... Tonight, I've eaten
a handful of dark chocolate covered almonds with my red wine. At
least it's mostly healthy.

comment by crazylife on Jan 6, 2011 9:14 PM ()

If I eat a big "lunch", I feel bloated and lazy all PM. I feel that way after supper, too, but at least I can sit around watching TV and do nothing! Your snacks are of the healthy variety. Chocolate needs to be "dark", not milk.

reply by solitaire on Jan 7, 2011 5:33 AM ()

You do exercise a lot, and maybe your body is replacing the carbs and proteins you burn up. If your weight is ok and you are healthy, it should be nothing to worry about.

comment by dragonflyby on Jan 6, 2011 8:41 AM ()

I'm just concerned, that's all. It's a bad habit for sure. I was a good boy the night I wrote this. Then I reverted the next night! Drats.

reply by solitaire on Jan 7, 2011 5:30 AM ()

Between meals, if you eat a small snack it sets you up to have another, since the snack stimulated your salivary glands, etc. That's one reason people might eat one thing after another. You could treat it as a behavioral thing and when you sit down to watch TV, do something else with your hands like shuffling cards or something. And dissociate the idea of TV from food. Also, cleanse your palate by brushing your teeth when you don't want to eat, or just have a strong, not-very-sweet mint.

comment by drmaus on Jan 5, 2011 4:53 PM ()

True--it's the inactivity that gets to me. I've tried the early brushing of teeth (but not early enough), and you're right! It does work! Unfortunately, I hesitate to do it early because then I can't snack! And, like I said, the dopamine effect is all-powerful! But I'll try harder.

reply by solitaire on Jan 6, 2011 5:49 AM ()

For a moment there I thought this was a food diary and was hoping it was not going to be a daily thing, but then it turned into something else, so I'm glad. I drink a lot of hot green tea during the day to keep from snacking. Not that I think there is magic in green tea, I like the flavor.

comment by troutbend on Jan 5, 2011 12:21 PM ()

Good idea. I should drink more tea. I brew a green/black mix (loose tea) to have with supper almost every night. Green really is good for you.

reply by solitaire on Jan 6, 2011 5:44 AM ()

When all else fails...Duck Tape across the mouth!

comment by anacoana on Jan 5, 2011 8:33 AM ()

The secret may well be to eat more frequently throughout the whole day. My nutritionist's schedule has me eating a small meal every three hours, which has totally solved my low blood sugar issue. She also bumped up my protein, which ended my carb cravings.

comment by marta on Jan 4, 2011 6:57 PM ()

I eat something every 2-3 hours, whether it's a real meal or a between meal snack. I even take protein powder (rice) in the morning. Luckily, I don't wake up hungry in the night. No Dagwood sandwiches. Glad you have it figured out. I'm open to suggestions.

reply by solitaire on Jan 5, 2011 5:44 AM ()

I just don't buy snacks that way, they aren't there to eat!

comment by meranda on Jan 4, 2011 1:58 PM ()

Smart lady. You have willpower. At least I'm perfect in every other way!

reply by solitaire on Jan 5, 2011 5:41 AM ()

I'm an evening snacker too, and I keep telling myself I'm going to stop. I do think inactivity and living alone has a lot to do with it.

comment by timetraveler on Jan 4, 2011 11:01 AM ()

So you, too, have the dopamine devil in you! If it weren't so serious, it would be funny. Maybe it really isn't serious (we wish).

reply by solitaire on Jan 5, 2011 5:40 AM ()

Someone once told me to keep my snacks in the freezer. The theory was that if I had to wait for them to thaw out I wouldn't bother to snack. That's how I discovered just how delicious frozen home made chocolate chip cookies, frozen brownies, frozen Rice Crispy squares and frozen nuts are.

comment by nittineedles on Jan 4, 2011 10:30 AM ()

That's really funny! I freeze all my nuts, but that doesn't help. I'll defeat this habit--just watch me!

reply by solitaire on Jan 5, 2011 5:38 AM ()

I found going to bed earlier, and NOT buying those kinds of snacks is the way around it here.
Can't have temptation around...

comment by anacoana on Jan 4, 2011 10:02 AM ()

I see those chips on the grocery shelf, and some force causes me to grab a bag! I need to eat a handful before I go shopping. Eating a late supper might be effective, as well as going to bed earlier. I've thought of both.

reply by solitaire on Jan 5, 2011 5:35 AM ()

You are snacking more,because all the energy that your doing and burning off the calories.Your body cries for more.I feel the same way when I worked out a lot and always picking here and there.I barely eat sweet,then look in the fridge and saw a small piece of chocolate cream pie.Yep,I did it.
So good loved it.Mike put it there for me.Then had fried egg sand.on black bean bread which is spicy and fried peppers.
I do this once in awhile.Then I too have my piece of chocolate.
What can we say?The only thing is that I do not get the salt fixed.
Maybe something else is happening.Your body is craving for something better and a release.I am sure you can read this between the lines.

comment by fredo on Jan 4, 2011 9:21 AM ()

I just don't want to be like Martin--all eat, no exercise. Indulging every once in awhile is okay, but I need to be careful it doesn't become frequent. Thanks for the good words.

reply by solitaire on Jan 5, 2011 5:33 AM ()

Relax. As long as your BMI is good and you keep exercising you are ok.

comment by elderjane on Jan 4, 2011 9:04 AM ()

Just what I don't need to hear--another "excuse" to keep eating. I did better last night.

reply by solitaire on Jan 5, 2011 5:31 AM ()

And yet nutritionists say the best eating habits are small meals throughout the day, not three large ones. And diabetics are told to do this as well so as to keep their sugar level on an even keel. Why not look into it some more and stop beating yourself up? The snacks I avoid are the ones stores want you to try as you are shopping.

comment by tealstar on Jan 4, 2011 6:22 AM ()

True, but it's just another justification for eating more often. I already have mid-morning and afternoon snacks. I think I'm in a vicious cycle: exercise makes me hungry (burning calories). At least most of my snacks are nutritious (or so I'd like to think).

reply by solitaire on Jan 5, 2011 5:29 AM ()

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The Dopamine Made Me Do It!