Protective Diet Class #339

Anticipation, Dopamine, and the Diet Struggle Rewards Cycle

In this class, Julie Marie shares the secret to her successful long-term practice of a Protective Diet. The same rewarding experience is available to us all. We just have to reinforce the behaviors that activate dopamine through anticipation and continuous challenge.

Announcements

• Engage in our official support group, Protective Diet Living (PDL). Join Live Chats & Coaching Hour for personal assistance.
• Shop https://www.protectivediet.com/azure, the organic farm that delivers near you, for low-cost, high-quality PD staples.

Vocabulary

Diet Struggle Reward Cycle

Betterment Challenges

Anticipation Rewards

Dopamine

Action Steps for Continuous Progress

• Be Aware of Anticipation and Challenge Yourself Continually
• The anticipation of what is to come produces dopamine, a key neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward.
• Anticipation rewards play a crucial role in motivation. Studies show that mice exhibit the highest levels of dopamine production just before pushing a button that rewards them with a treat. The surge in dopamine occurs not when they receive the treat, but in the anticipation phase. The anticipation of a reward leads to highest dopamine production.
• The anticipation of positive change triggers the release of dopamine, creating a sense of readiness and eagerness.
• Protective Diet programming offers a lifetime of anticipation and scalable challenges to revive that initial excitement.
• Anticipation, challenge/struggle, and excitement in our daily and weekly routine helps us eliminate boredom and quitting.
• Recognize and activate these rewards in each phase of your practice: daily, weekly, and in the course of big events.

Part 1: Initial Excitement and Commitment This phase is packed with anticipation, effort-filled action, and exciting results. The built-in challenge of transformation offers constant rewards. Anticipation – Read testimonials and imagine your own possibilities. – Map out your weight loss journey by setting a specific target.    If your goal is to lose 50lbs, mark 5 months from now on your    Calendar of Achievements. Anticipate a loss of 10lbs/month on average Challenge – Create a Workplace for Wellness that brings better results than    traditional gym and calorie-counting approaches. – Browse the Recipes for daily educational bites on cooking and    eating for optimal health. Learn new things every day. – Select several foundational recipes and stock your pantry. – Power through the 30-day Detox and Tastebud Reprogram. Excitement – Tastebuds naturally reset. Simple foods taste amazing without added fat or sugar. Never be bothered by cravings again. – Weight loss and disease remission happen fast. You see results quickly and feel excited every day.
Part 2: Boredom, Restriction, and Seeking Excitement You either feel at ease with your practice, or you never gave it a chance to get off the ground. Reduced effort means the initial excitement fades. We need continual dopamine to stay on track. Anticipation – Daily—sit down to your meals hungry! No chef’s treats while cooking. Plate your meal. – Weekly—Tuesdays! Try the recipe of the week. Attend class and learn new ways to keep    it exciting. Join the chat—ask “What recipe should I try next?” Challenge – Find a balance between the normalization/maintenance of your lifestyle and adding    excitement to sustain commitment. Select a PD Betterment Challenge to start. – Submit your testimonial—thinking about your success produces dopamine.	Beware of these two scenarios:   Scenario A—restriction fatigue Desire for off-plan foods Desire for more flexibility Discomfort asking people to    accommodate your needs   Scenario B—boredom You reach your goal! It starts to feel routine/mundane You crave a new challenge
Part 3: Deviation and Distraction This phase only occurs when anticipation rewards and challenges are not activated in Part 2. Anticipation – Saturday Live Coaching Hour—regroup for encouragement = a dopamine rush. – Reflect on your Calendar of Achievements, your success story, your Testimonial. – Anticipate a fresh start and the exciting journey ahead. You know success is guaranteed. Challenge – Acknowledge the need for support. – Reignite excitement and commitment.   And the Cycle Begins Again…		Tendencies of this phase:   Rationalizing You change the plan to something   “less restrictive”, never reach your    goal and abruptly abandon the diet.   Experimenting You fall for the latest diet/cookbook,    try other approaches, derail    progress, and experience setbacks—    regaining weight or illness.

• Never Apologize for Prioritizing Your Health
• External influences, particularly from peers and family, can create pressure when adopting a Protective Diet.
• This might lead to discomfort if family members need to accommodate your dietary choices.
• Going out to eat may involve separate meals or opting for hot water with lemon.

Managing Social Pressure

• Do not to feel ashamed or apologize for prioritizing your well-being. Taking care of yourself is like an insurance policy for your family, especially if you have children or grandchildren. They should express gratitude for your commitment.
• Recognize the value of your efforts. By taking care of yourself, you ensure that you can actively participate in activities with your family, like playing with your grandkids. Your family should consider themselves fortunate that you are willing to go the extra mile to maintain your health. It is an investment in your longevity and your efforts benefit everyone.
• See your actions as a positive contribution to the family, sparing them from potential caregiving responsibilities. Even if it means making special requests when staying with others or preparing your own food, prioritize your health. Bring your essentials and explain that you’re on a therapeutic diet to take care of yourself.

Encouragement

• Find one direction and follow through all the way to goal. It simplifies your life. It’s not helpful to have 10 different directions to get to the finish line in a race. You don’t take a bunch of little side paths while running a marathon. You want the most direct route. I give you the most direct route in Protective Diet Education by telling you to follow the recipes, they are your guide.
• Read the notes on the recipes. I include a lot of inspirational information to get you excited about the ingredients or what the recipe will do for your health, so that you produce dopamine just by reading it, and anticipating making and eating it.
• I don’t experience a dopamine boost from consuming healthy food. That first ice cream sandwich is always better than the second ice cream sandwich. The first Soft Batch Oatmeal Cookie is always the best oatmeal cookie. We don’t get a dopamine hit from Protective Diet foods. So I want you to have the anticipation reward of sitting down hungry.
• After you’re in your groove of a Protective Diet, think about doing some of the other challenges that I offer in this community. I talk about the challenges of stopping the snacks between meals, so you sit down more hungry. If you’re not hungry for lunch, skip it and wait for dinner because the anticipation of dinner is going to produce dopamine.

“I’ve been going strong with my Protective Diet—how many years is it now?

And how do I do that? It has a lot to do with anticipation rewards and challenging myself continually, but not changing the foundation that got me from a size 22 to a two.”

Recommended Recipes
Nice Cream Sandwich	Soft Batch Oatmeal Cookies	Hamburger Pinwheels	Vegetable Dumpling Soup
Recommended Classes
#260 Day One on a Protective Diet#224 Sweet Action Rituals & Routines for Betterment#298 Stress Elimination Challenge#200 Stop the Snacks Challenge		#333 Get Motivated with Exciting Goals#328 Weight Loss Challenge & the Salad Crunch Wrap#325 3-Month Goal Challenge#320 Beauty Broth Hot Pot Slim Down Support Challenge

Class Description:

In this class, Julie Marie shares the secret to her successful long-term practice of a Protective Diet. The same rewarding experience is available to us all. We just have to reinforce the behaviors that activate dopamine through anticipation and continuous challenge.

Class URL: https://protectivediet.com/courses/the-pd-groove/lessons/class-339-anticipation-dopamine-the-diet-struggle-reward-cycle/