Self Control - There Is "NUN" Better
Self control is one of those words we hear a lot about nowadays.
Research has shown that it can help us to stay on a diet, not binge eat, and avoid other potential problems.
But what actually is self control? And how does it work in our brains?
Experts have found that it's really not quite as simple as "just saying no" or "not letting ourselves indulge". There's more to it than that.
This week we're finding out more about the way our brains control what we eat, and how you can use your own willpower to make better choices.
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Here's a few fast facts about our interviewee today: Dawn Dyer is an author, health coach, mindfulness meditation teacher and though she may sound like she's all about self discipline, she's actually not. She says her greatest strength is her ability to "be with" herself and others.
She is the author of the book: "Finding the Flow", and she works with clients from all over the world to help them to change their eating habits, develop a healthy relationship with food, lose weight and feel great.
So let's see what she had to say about our topic for today: "self control" and how it works in our brains. That's coming up next, after this quick break. I'm your host Amy-Rose, and you've got food on your mind.
Welcome back.
Today I'm interviewing Dawn Dyer. She's the author of "Finding the flow" and a client coach helping others to change their eating habits, develop a healthy relationship with food, lose weight and feel great. How long have you been here at Radio Mindful? Dawn: I've been interviewing for Radio Mindful for over 6 years now. Amy-Rose: Ooh, that's a long time. Just before we get started with the interview, I've got to tell you something. We had a little bit of a bit of a problem with our sound this morning. I'm going to ask you to just wait for the next couple minutes and let me find out what happened. Dancer: Okay. Amy-Rose: Let's try it again. There we go. That's better, isn't it? We've got our intro music back, and everything is sounding good again, right? Dancer: Yes. Amy-Rose: OK then, let's get started. We're here to talk about the topic of the day, and that is "self control". Dawn: Yes.
Dawn's background
The Interview
Amy-Rose: Hi Dawn. So what made you want to become a health coach? Dawn: Wow, it's a great question! Well, I fell into this work in the first place by accident. I was working as a therapist when I was diagnosed with MS back in 2007. Amy-Rose: Oh no! Dawn: Yes, and it was a big shock to me because prior to that point I had been quite athletic and very capable in my body. Amy-Rose: So how did it affect your life? Dawn: It affected my life quite dramatically. I went from an active lifestyle with lots of gymming and walking and swimming, to having to be very careful about the sort of things that I did. Amy-Rose: So what kind of things happened? Dawn: Well, the sort of symptoms that the doctors have are in their own way quite embarrassing. Imagine, depending on when you hear this you may say "oh yeah, I've seen that before". If you are one of those people and you have no idea what I'm talking about when I say things like "can't lift my feet up to touch a shop dummy" or "it's hard for me to walk across a tarmac road" maybe it's not that big a deal. But what they're actually saying is that it's not just my body that is failing, it's my brain. Amy-Rose: Oh dear. So what happened to your brain? Dawn: Yeah, the brain is actually quite a remarkable organ. But basically what happened was that my body was being run by a faulty computer and the best way for it to work is for me to see out of my eyes without any sight. Amy-Rose: Oh dear.
Dawn's self control struggles
Amy-Rose: So what did you do next? Dawn: Well, the story goes that I had to drop all my work at the time and then move in with my Mum. I didn't know what to do with myself because I had dropped this work where I'd been for about 15 years. I was no longer just a therapist who worked with other people and making a difference in their lives, I was now identified as being disabled myself.
Conclusion
Amy-Rose: So this is where you got your coaching qualification? Dawn: Yes, actually. It sounds quite extreme that I don't know how to actually coach another person. But I didn't want to be a therapist anymore because it was no longer easy for me in my own body, even as a therapist when I was still living with my Mum.