How To Outsmart Your Elephant
Do you ever eat well all day long and then the clock strikes 10:00 pm and you find yourself reaching for the ice cream? Or maybe you stop by your friend’s party and find your hand in the chip bowl despite having already eaten. Have you ever asked yourself why this happens?
While the reasoning may differ person to person, what it boils down to us compulsive habits overriding our better judgement.
Psychologist Johnathon Haidt penned a helpful analogy of the elephant and its rider. Inside all of us is a compulsive elephant who represents our emotional side and is always seeking pleasure no matter how it impacts our goals.
The rider represents our rational, analytical side who typically has our best interest in mind. The elephant is waiting for your rider to let their guard down enough to strike when your willpower is at its lowest.
It is common for these bad choices to occur at the end of the day when we are fatigued and have spent all of our energy making good choices.
The elephant also strikes when we are out with friends and succumb to peer pressure or are simply paying less attention. It happens when we’re stressed and overworked and the drive through looks so much easier than getting home and chopping veggies.
Dropping these habits is more than a matter of willpower. Rather than fighting these urges off and beating yourself up when you fail, use these simple tips to set yourself up for success before the elephant strikes.
How to outsmart your elephant:
Have a plan
If you know your elephant starts to crave Oreos late at night, keep them out of your pantry and replace them with fruit salad. If you are going out to eat with friends, browse the menu and pick out your dinner before you get to the restaurant. If you know you’re going to have a busy day of meetings, pack a healthy lunch the night before.
Keep healthy food well stocked in your pantry so that you are less tempted to order delivery after work. And remember, there is no shame in choosing convenience items like pre-seasoned and pre-cut proteins and produce if it will help you make better choices. The bottom line is that you’ll be able to make decisions that support your goals better if you’re not making them on the spot.
Distract yourself
When you find yourself about to mindlessly munch, find something better to do! Put down the bag of chips and go outside for a walk or break out the watercolors. Doing something creative with your hands is a great way to distract yourself.
Is there someone in your life who could help keep you accountable? Touch base with them before you snack and hopefully they will help you determine if you are really hungry or just bored or stressed. According to research, cravings pass in about 20 minutes. So you only have to hold out a little while until your elephant gives up.
Create accountability
Many times, these habits creep up when we aren’t paying attention. For example, picture how many chips you might eat while scrolling Tik Tok. A good way to understand how much you have eaten is by paying better attention. Log your food until you build better habits. By having a reference for how much you have consumed, you might think twice about giving your elephant that second donut in the break room.
Another way to create accountability is to plate your food. Instead of snacking directly from the packaging, portion out how much you intend to eat and put it on a plate or in a bowl. Being able to visually see your portions is shown to help us eat less. It can actually be more satisfying too, when you make the effort to make your food visually appealing.
Feed your Elephant
Finally, make sure you are taking opportunities to actually indulge, but do it well! Some foods are healthier than others, but no foods are bad or off limits (unless you are allergic, of course!) In fact, I would argue that treating yourself every once in awhile is necessary for a well-rounded, happy, and fulfilling life.
It would be a shame to never enjoy takeout again or never share a decadent dessert after dinner with friends. It’s also true that by occasionally indulging, you actually get to feed those cravings, ultimately giving them less power over you. When you do treat yourself, make sure you are mindful and really enjoy the full experience.
