Is it the brain or the body ?

The cookies in the break room looked very tempting the first time I saw them.The next time I was there to collect some markers, they looked irresistible. Finally, when I happened to walk by the break room the next time, some unseen force dragged me towards the cookies and unwittingly, I picked up a cookie and then another! The sugar surge was instant and as you can imagine, it wasn't too long before I had "cookie remorse". Sounds familiar? We all struggle with this from time to time and it seems to be a losing battle sometimes. Why did I succumb to the temptation ? How can I avoid it next time ? Do I need to avoid it? Looking around, I see others struggle with the same issue. Building up will power and sustaining it for a while only to miserably fail eventually. Why does this happen ? What is missing?

We live our life within a set of guard rails but sometimes the rules and policies guiding our actions are so complex that its execution fails under its own weight. The rules need to be very simple to be executable. Keeping with this thought, I told myself that there needs to be a rule of thumb for cookies too :-) After some trial and error, I have one which has served me well so far and may do so for the reader too. The trick is this - Just ask yourself "Is your body demanding it or is your brain demanding it?" If it is the body, go ahead and fulfill the demand. If it is just your brain, then just ignore it unless you consciously want to indulge. So, when I walk into office in the morning, I still see those wonderful bagels and the yummy spreads. However, when I pose the magic question, it is clear that my body does not need it. It is just my silly brain. That very thought withers away any craving that I might have had. No more complicated logic to follow to take a decision. "What about indulgences then?", you may ask. Our taste buds were developed to enjoy anything and everything sweet and delicious and to abandon them totally would be a pity. So, my rule of thumb for indulgences is "Indulge only if someone offers it to you". i.e. I need not pickup the cookie lying in the break room but it is all right to take a cookie if someone offers it to me. Between our workplace and our social commitments, we are offered enough indulgences that we never need to bother about long cravings.

Try it out.This one could be a keeper.