They're simple. They're clear. I don't THINK about food very much, except when it's time to plan menus or actually eat. If I need to work around work meals, I can.
Aand after an over-indulgent weekend, N-days are a RELIEF. They allow my system to clear, to return to the light, normal, comfortable feeling that I've become used to... as opposed to the stuffed, heavy, even sick-ish feeling that over-eating causes. (Somehow, that "heavy" feeling is self-perpetuating until broken by N-day rationality.)
I also think adherence to N-day routines helps your body restore balance. See this article, originally posted by "Bookman Old Style," http://www.physorg.com/news170688849.html, that suggests that eating regular meals helps to regulate the appetite hormone ghrelin. (And then there's the leptin research, which also advises regular meals.)
And N-days help you leverage your best intentions. Here's a bit of a thread on that
S-days are enjoyable, and I couldn't manage N-days without them. But over time, I really, really like my N-days. They're not a deprivation - they're just "normal."Posted by Nicest of the Damned
Post subject: Neuroscience research shows willpower is a limited resource
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... outset-box
This article discusses why it is not a good idea to try to break all your bad food habits at once, as many other diets would have you do (and try is the operative word, there).
IANANeuroscientist, but I'd bet that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for willpower as well as short-term memory and solving abstract problems, gets overtaxed by calorie- or substance-accounting diets, and that's why they tend to fail. Quote from the article:
"...willpower is so weak, and the prefrontal cortex is so overtaxed, that all it takes is five extra bits of information before the brain starts to give in to temptation."
(Response from KCCC)
Great article! Thanks for sharing!
I particularly liked:
"The lesson is that the prefrontal cortex can be bulked up, and that practicing mental discipline in one area, such as posture, can also make it easier to resist Christmas cookies."
Thinking about willpower as a muscle is actually pretty useful. Work at your limits, not beyond. Exercise regularly/consistently. Etc.
And when you exercise your willpower enough that it becomes real habit, then it doesn't take all that effort. That's the great underlying premise of No-S (and associated systems). It's hardest AT FIRST, then gets easier.
I think I will experiment with exercising my will power like a muscle and see if that helps me.