Everybody loves secrets. I want to introduce you to a dynamic secret of self control that I told many of my patient. It not only works for quitting smoking, but it will allow you to be successful in controlling your weight, your eating habits, as well as your arterial blockage. This factor makes it possible for you to not snack on that piece of chocolate, or not to order that steak, or will allow you to fix a salad with fruit on it. It is the most important self-control tool I know. It is called the ten-minute factor. It is a dynamic component of reasoning that doesn’t suggest what you can do — it demands it (at least, for a period of ten minutes). We mainly eat the foods we eat because we are addicted to them. To beat a food addiction, you have to defeat the desire for that food. You can’t do it by moderation. Deciding to eat a certain type of food only once a week is like someone who smokes and say they will smoke only on Saturdays. No, you have to abstain. And that takes about 60 days for the desire for that particular food to begin to weaken. The desire will become less and less until the time comes that you could care less if you added cheese to your sandwich, or if you ate that steak or bowl of ice cream. The ten minute factor works like this: when you have a desire for a food you shouldn’t eat, you tell yourself you are not going to eat it for ten minutes. Then you get yourself a non-caloric beverage and put that into your stomach instead of the food. Next you begin doing something active, take a walk, talk with someone on the phone, plan an activity. If the same urge hits you an hour later, perform the same ten-minute factor. Put non-caloric liquid into your stomach and get busy doing something. You can beat an eating addiction – and it won’t take long. (Well, actually only about ten minutes.)
Share with Dr. Furman the impact that Prescription for Life is having on you life. Leave him a note using the form below.
