Artist Seth Lepore of Losing My Religion: Confessions of a New Age Refugee fame recently discussed 9 weight loss. He remarked that if he were to write a nutrition column it would be called “The Occasional Donut”.
Clearly, Seth is able to “have just one”. Others are not so lucky.
When you overstimulate your brain pleasure centers, your brain adapts by being less responsive, requiring ever more stimulation to achieve positive effects. This is one of the mechanisms of addiction.
What came to your mind when I said “addiction”? Was it drugs? Alcohol? Gambling? Perhaps it hasn’t occurred to you that food can be addictive. A new study shows that it is. Rats fed junk food quickly developed the compulsion to overeat, even when their buffet was paired with electric shocks. When researchers removed their preferred snacks and replaced them with a nutritious diet, the rats refused to eat. In short:
“…[T]he development of obesity coincides with a progressively deteriorating chemical balance in reward brain circuitries. As these pleasure centers in the brain become less and less responsive, rats quickly develop compulsive overeating habits, consuming larger quantities of high-calorie, high-fat foods until they become obese. The very same changes occur in the brains of rats that overconsume cocaine or heroin…”
This rat may have been indulging in more than “The Occasional Donut”.
Bottom line? Everyone’s body reacts differently. You’ll know if you’re one of those fortunate folks who can have a Krispy Kreme once a month – or if the mere scent of Dunkin’ Donuts turns you into a raving, drooling, crackhead. For those of us who fall under the second category, the above study offers validation. It’s not just a matter of willpower, although that’s an important factor. It’s a matter of biochemistry. Seth, enjoy a jelly-filled for me. Oh, and a Boston Creme. And a plain with chocolate frosting and sprinkles. And a cruller, while you’re at it.
Tags: compulsive eating, crackhead, donuts, dunkin donuts, fat rat, food addiction, junk food addiction, krispy kreme, overeating, sugar, sugar addiction
It’s true, donuts can sometimes get the best of us. Stranger that my father’s nickname for me is “the rat”. The Occasional Donut isn’t just about will power, it’s a Jedi mindtrick. I must admit that working my way up to occasional meant going through a phase of constant donut dreaming.
In fact I remember a talk given at Naropa when someone who worked for Aveda stated that the scent of donuts was one of the more sexually stimulating scents for men. Indeed…
Whether it’s donuts, brownies or any other kind of sugary food, I find that raw milk with a little maple syrup does the job for my craving. But hey now I can just have one but that took stamina folks… stamina.
Seth – thank you for chiming in with your donut process.
Donuts aren’t my thing. Even the smell turns me off. The only kind I really enjoy is the plain cake type, but even that… they leave this weird film in my mouth that I really don’t like. I find that a lot of pastry does that, so I pretty much avoid anything I didn’t make myself.
My weakness is cheese. Oh, how I love cheese! I’m thinking of giving it up for a couple of months with the hope that it will have the same effect as giving up coffee for lent did – I just don’t crave it like I did.
I never found donuts satisfying either. They are too insubstantial!
I know what you mean about the “film”…I think it’s part of candida although I am not sure…
Food is totally addictive for me. Not donuts persay… but starbucks and coffee and beverages. I also have occsional run ins with saltines… Anything in excess can be too much. I’m trying to get a good handle on my problem with food. Trying.
Yes, I am very familiar w/ that dynamic! Nutritional, spiritual, and psychological approaches, done in conjunction, are the key(s).
I fall into the raving drooling crackhead department…dangit.
Hey! Come to visit you here from Vega Community. I totaly understand this and have read much about sugars effects being akin to chemical drug adictions in the brain. Brendan Brazier talks about it in thrive, more about a bodies addiction to stimulants and how a ‘recalibration’ is needed. I used to start my day with a pint of coffee (double double) a breakfast sandwich and often a pecan danish…ich! After my ‘recalibration’ at the first of the year, hunger has me seeking a salad or a little trail mix…. I have noticed that if I have any sugar or white flour (I used a wheat bun for a nut burger recently), that is the day I crave carbs for the rest of the day…so I hear Seth on the stamina thing…MUST BE DILIGENT!
Thank you for your input! It’s great that you have been able to recalibrate to such healthy foods.