I've come across this in a few different places, and perhaps it's even an old adage, but it's one that can certainly be applied to making healthier decisions. It's known as the 10-10-10 principle: how will what I do have implications on my life 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years from now? I think it's an ingenious little strategy for getting us out of the moment where we can easily be tempted by short-sighted desires to think instead about how your choices will affect us in the long term.
Here's an example: you feel a sudden pang of hunger, and you know there is an incredibly delicious German chocolate cake waiting ever so patiently for you in the fridge. Most of the cake has already been eaten, leaving one generous, perfect, piece. "Geez, that icing looks incredible, and it would be a shame to have such a delectable treat go to waste...maybe I'll just have a little bite, and if I like it, I can have another." With a few chomps and a lick of the fingertips, you suddenly realize that the entire piece of cake is sitting like a brick in your rapidly expanding belly. And now you have to lay down for a minute to ease along the digestive process (gurgle, gurgle). You hate yourself, you hate birthdays, and you never want to see cake again.
But take a step back. If you opened the fridge and actually considered what would happen after you sucked the artery-clogging german chocolate down your esophagus, maybe you would have made a different decision. "If I eat that cake right now, I'm probably going to feel like death in 10 minutes time. In 10 months, I'll still have love handles. In 10 years, err, quadruple bypass?"
Back in the 80's there was some moronic movie where an R2D2-esque robot followed this guy around. When he went to the fridge to grab a piece of cake, the robot obediently informed him that eating it would take approximately 7 minutes and 58 seconds off of his life. Deflated and scared out of his wits by the prospect, the dude left the cake alone. Horrible movie, but the principle is worthy of consideration. While we don't all have creepy robots watching our every move to act as our external conscience (yet!), what if we did have the wherewithal to think of the longer term implications of our actions? After all, good habits often breed good habits, whether it's making healthy eating decisions or almost anything else in life.
So next time you're staring down a Taco Bell sign, the candy bar aisle, or a deep-fried twinkie, think about not how you'll feel when you're eating, but AFTER: 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years. You might just make not just a healthier decision, but one you can feel good about!
Abel James is an author, fat loss coach, musician, and paleo diet and primal lifestyle blogger and podcaster. A former strategic advisor to the food and beverage industry, Abel now acts as a consumer advocate who exposes the truth behind deceptive marketing practices, misleading corporate propaganda, and powerful special interests that have accelerated the worldwide obesity epidemic and health crisis. Abel harnesses the techniques he developed for the Paleo-based LeanBody System to achieve extremely compelling results in fat loss and health for his clients and the community. Sign up for your free Paleo fat loss report at http://fatburningman.com/free-stuff/.
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