Smart Eating Starts Here: Your Brain Is Always Listening

A former post tidied up:

Pearl One

Years ago, I was driving with my parents and my two boys in our van and I guess I wasn’t driving fast enough because one driver peeled out from behind me and went screaming down the road.

At that, my five-year-old son scrunched up his little face in anger and said, “There goes a. . .

“This’ll be interesting,” I thought.

“PUNK!!”

There goes a punk. Not exactly a curse word, but we got his meaning. (The Scarfer uses the word “punk” occasionally so that’s where my son first heard the word.)

Kids absorb everything.

My Point

Like little kids, our brains are listening and watching everything we do.

• If you weigh your protein every single time before you cook it, she’s watching and thinks, “Oh, okay we’re the kind of person who measures everything.”
• If we stop eating at 6 p.m. each evening, she’s like “Got it. We don’t eat after a small dinner.”
• If we have too much food leftover, she learned long ago to think, “Our stomachs are not trash cans.”
• If you take a bite of cookie that’s just not worth the calories and spit the bite into a napkin she’ll think, “Wow, we are serious about losing weight. We even spit out food.”

As you trek the lose-weight-after-fifty mountain, plan to prove to your brain at every eating-moment that you mean business about smart eating.

How do you prove something to your brain?

Through repetition.

Your brain just needs to see proof that something really matters to you, so give her as much proof as you possibly can. ❄️

Pearl Two

Spend time with yourself inside your journal.

• What sentences do you repeat to yourself most often, and who first taught you to believe them?
• When you make a mistake, what does your inner voice sound like, and what is your brain learning from that tone?
• Which belief in your life feels true simply because it has been repeated for years?
• If your brain is always listening, what do you want it learning from you now? ❄️

Pearl Three

Sequencing is taken directly from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The purpose of sequences is to help us move from reacting to circumstances to responding. I encourage you to do a sequence a day in your journal. Powerful stuff. Apply to your own life.

Initial Sequence

• Situation (be as concrete as possible): Margaret, 65, has been divorced for two years. She was invited to her best friend’s big New Year’s Eve party.
• Initial thought: “I’m always up for dancing and I love the party atmosphere, and even though these parties are huge, Sheila will get her feelings hurt if I don’t attend.”
• Feeling: Guilty, trapped, heavy heart.
• Action: I pick a nice outfit for the party.
• Result: I go to the party and frankly am overwhelmed, but I keep my smile plastered on my face.

Chosen Sequence

• Situation: Margaret, 65, has been divorced for two years. She was invited to her best friend’s big New Year’s Eve party.
• Chosen thought: “I was invited to Shelia’s big shindig for New Year’s Eve, but I’m craving a night alone, sipping a glass of wine, watching the city fireworks from my balcony, cat in lap and think about the upcoming year. I need to speak up for myself and explain to Sheila why I won’t be at her party.”
• Feeling: Scared to tell her friend, but also brave. Margaret has been practicing being more assertive.
• Action: Margaret shops for her favorite food and even buys a new pair of pajamas for her “night in.”
• Result: Margaret wakes up on New Year’s Day feeling good and ready for a yoga class. ❄️

Pearl Four

My three most favorite books of 2025 (all three are phenomenal):

• Gold: Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung.
• Silver: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.
• Bronze:  I’ll Have What She’s Having by Chelsea Handler.

All three are six thumbs up book-desserts! ❄️

Pearl Five

You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.” ❄️

Zig Ziglar

I think most of us are at the stage of life that being in our jammies by 9 p.m. is how we roll. I laughed when I read about a woman who said that she didn’t care who knew that she got into her jammies often at 6 p.m. I have to admit that it sounds inviting.

But if you’re one to celebrate New Year’s Eve: go for the brut champagne (lowest calories) around.

If you like this post, I’d love if you’d share it with others. And thank you.

Share how you’re sharing New Year’s Eve and Day: will it be “glam” or “cozy?”

Have a smart eating week!

♥, Wendy

You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.

Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And given that computers can be so difficult, always feel free to ask in the comments below for Aunt Bea and I’ll get her right to you!

I am not an expert, doctor, surgeon, nurse, dietician, or nutritionist: the information within TheInspiredEater.com is based solely on my personal experience and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.