Novelty is Seductive, but it can be Detrimental: Tips to Get Your Health Priorities Straight and Avoid the "Shiny Objects"

Last week, I was having a conversation over lunch with a co-worker. He's over 50, and was lamenting how a lot of his friends his age aren't able to join him in the active pursuits he enjoys because they're in poor health. My coworker is in great shape, works out often and eats a healthy diet. He said that his friends frequently complain about their health issues, and as much as they talk about their desire to "do something about it," their efforts never seem to stick. He said that they often get seduced by the marketing for one health product or another and convince themselves that this will be the thing that finally inspires them to get in shape. Then in a few months after the novelty wears off, they're back where they started. 

Fitbits definitely LOOK cool, but ask yourself, for yourself:
Are they a tool or a distraction

He explained that most recently, the novelty was the FitBit. Several of them were immediately attracted to its sleekness, utility and ease-of-use. They were so die-hard that they actually convinced him that he "had" to get one because he works out a lot and would love all the features. Their enthusiasm rubbed off on him and he said he was on the FitBit wagon...

...And then it dawned on him a few days later: he doesn't need an inanimate object to beep or buzz on his wrist to motivate him to move, walk or exercise more. He doesn't need any fancy technology to give him feedback about his habits. His motivation to workout and eat healthily is intrinsic: it's just what he does. 

More likely than not, we've all been where my coworker's friends are. We've all operated under the pretense that the solution to our health problems is external to us. There is something alluring about the "hot new program" or solution or product: I call this the "Shiny Object Theory." Novelty is alluring and seductive. We're hard-wired to seek it out,  which is why infomercial health products and programs sell so well: they're marketing to us a dream, a vision of a different reality in which we are happier, thinner, healthier, and better-looking. All we have to do is buy the product.

No caption needed :-)

I know I don't have to, but I'm going to tell you right now that there is no product out there that is a proxy for the mental and physical work it takes to achieve sustainable weight loss and better health. There are products out there that will enhance your efforts and make the process more fun, but when all is said and done, they are distractions. They will not help you overcome emotional eating; they won't help you learn how to assess your hunger, energy and cravings so that you're less likely to binge at night; and they won't hold you accountable to your goals: that has to come from within. 

It's hard to have the courage to try another way to her healthy that is devoid of "shiny objects": I certainly know this from experience, and have an expensive heart rate monitor that's collecting dust on my shelf to prove it! My costly gadget kept me entertained for a few months, but the work I've done internally has done more to sustain my results than any device or program or 30-Day Challenge. 

So sleek, so shiny, so...wait, why did I buy this?

In my opinion, your hard-earned money that could be spent on the newest "shiny object" is better saved, and your energy allocated to figuring out the deeper whys: Why do you want to be healthier? Why have you struggled so much up to this point? Why is it so hard for you to stay motivated? Give yourself permission to save a few dollars on that new gadget and invest it in yourself: buy a journal and start writing down three things each day for which you are grateful. Not only will this give you a more positive outlook, but gratitude has been linked to a better immune system and improved heart rate variability which may reduce the risks of sudden death in those with chronic heart disease, and may be beneficial in the treatment of hypertension [Scientific proof that gratitude is healthy!]. A journal is also a great way to start playing detective: you can keep track of your hunger, energy levels and cravings and the situations that trigger you to eat or drink certain things. This biofeedback is essential if you want to break the cycle of binge-or-emotional eating, improve portion control, and get the most out of your workouts. Journaling about what makes you unique and what you love about yourself is also a great tool to shift your mindset from a place of unworthiness to a place of fundamental worthiness. It will help you to acknowledge all the wonderful things about you that deserve recognition beyond your weight. And that, my friends, is going to assure you greater long-term success with your health goals than any "shiny object," I promise!