The End of Overeating (100% in 1% Book Summary)

Book Summary

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David A. Kessler

Concept

The settling point theory says the body keeps an adult’s weight within a certain range with homeostatic mechanisms, but the range is not predetermined – it’s determined by the drive to eat, the capacity to be satisfied, ability to oxidize fat, motivation, availability, etc. Stimulating the reward centre leads to more pursuit of pleasure regardless of rational need for it.

Sugar, fat, and salt make us eat more sugar, fat, and salt. A variety of readily available palatable food engages the full range of our senses and stimulate appetite. While protein empties from the stomach at 4 calories a minute, sugary foods empty at 10 calories a minute, satisfying hunger for a much shorter time. And while fat empties the stomach at 2 calories a minute, the body is slow to process those signals.

Recommendations

“Food Rehab” treats a chronic problem that can be managed but not completely cured. “We remain vulnerable to the pull of old habits, although with time and the rewards that accompany success, they do lose some of their power … Eventually we can begin to think differently about food, recognizing its value to sustain us and protect us from hunger, and denying it the authority to govern our lives.”

What does it take to be a Happy Couple or does that even exist? (Tips & Tricks)

What great ideas to keep a relationship good 🙂

Interview Tips

With a Master’s degree in Human Resources and experience in recruitment and selection, you’d think I’m an expert on interviews. I do enjoy sharing advice – though I have to say I’m just like anyone else in that I still get nervous and I still make mistakes! That said, I have a few tips that have helped me and may help you too.

1. You’ve probably heard you need to research the company and there’s no underestimating the importance of this. Browse the company website (investor, career, and about pages are good), search for recent news (but don’t bring up anything negative in the interview), and even look through sites like Glassdoor or the Vault. I even search LinkedIn. You want to show you’re interested and informed, that you take initiative and take the opportunity seriously.
2. Create a matrix listing rows of position requirements with columns of experiences demonstrating your qualifications. Think through the Situation – your Actions – and Results (the “so what?”) for each. Not only are behaviour-based questions best-practice, answering other questions with evidence of your strengths makes a great impression.
3. Prepare questions to ask about the position, employer, and interviewer. Most people prefer to have somewhat of a back and forth conversation where appropriate – when they ask if you have questions, that’s your chance to ask their views on the organizational culture or what they want to see from you if you fill the position.
4. Most interviewers respond best to relaxed professional body language. You want good posture – you don’t want to cross your legs nor do you want to be as rigid as a board – and hold eye contact until a thought is completed. Smile politely and joke positively to develop rapport. Take the lead from your interviewer’s demeanour, though, because your perception of confident behaviour may not match their’s and frankly, their perception matters here.

End Emotional Eating (100% in 1% Book Summary)

I’ve read a lot of books about healthy eating and mood disorder therapy, not to mention seeing professionals on the subjects, and I have to say End Emotional Eating: Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills to Cope with Difficult Emotions and Develop a Healthy Relationship to Food by Dr. Jennifer Taitz is one of the best books I know. I find it scientific, relatable, and practical.

That said, it’s harder than it sounds to “sit with” emotions without letting it turn into feelings of deprivation. This is something I’m still practicing, so I’ve summarized the key points below to remind myself (and you, if you’re interested) most especially in those times of weakness what I can do to truly have a positive relationship with food and why it’s best for living a life I value.

Concept

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is based on accepting reality because suffering comes from trying to fight pain. Radical acceptance is an active process of “purposely adopting an open, nonjudgmental receptive stance” while at the same time deciding whether or not to change the way you respond, often choosing to accept commitments required to take action in order to live life fully.

It is illusory correlation to believe an increased urge to binge means an increased need for it. In fact, urges come and go, whereas “the more we indulge in a habit, the more habitual it becomes.” Giving into emotional eating takes away opportunities to develop other coping skills making you believe it is the only way to cope.

Thinking about food may be less painful than some emotions, but emotional eaters then develop pain and suffering around food. Emotional eaters tend to be more sensitive to rewards as demonstrated in caudate nucleus response research. In fact, motivation is fleeting and unnecessary. “Action leads to action.”

Recommendations

“Accept life as it is without indulging or controlling.” Pain can be “something you experience in the service of living according to your values.” Being mindful of this can foster self-compassion and empathy with others. Self-compassion involves kindness and warmth while maintaining realistically high standards.

Focus on changing behaviour rather than trying to control feelings. “You don’t have to feel willing to behave willingly.” Master mental aikido by weaving and surfing, not throwing punches. Be in the present, aware of the full experience, and problem solve. “Look at the thoughts rather than from the thoughts.”