For decades, weight loss wisdom has centred around a simple formula — expend more calories than you consume, move more and avoid ‘bad’ foods. It sounds simple, but when put into practice, sustaining these habits over the long-term is anything but easy. That’s because in reality this approach to weight loss doesn’t work.
This approach often fails to address the real challenge: the brain’s role in behaviour change. Successful, lasting weight loss isn’t just about calories or exercise, it’s centred around regulating impulses, learning how to manage cravings and staying committed when the going gets tough — and the secret lies in a relatively overlooked brain structure called the anterior mid-cingulate cortex.
More commonly referred to as the aMCC, this brain region is an important network hub that processes input from other brain areas related to reward, goals and achievement. It’s a grey matter zone that plays a role in decision making, behavioural traits and tolerance, and when activated it may help to supercharge weight loss success.
Children with excess belly fat were found to have more volume in several areas of the brain than those without (Alamy/PA)
Alamy/PA
The best way to understand the aMCC is to think of it as a kind of command centre that sustains traits such as tenacity, commitment and persistence. And when it comes to dieting, the more active your aMCC, the easier it becomes to resist temptations and follow through on intentions you’ve set yourself.
In other words, staying on track may rely less on pure willpower and more on the brain quietly doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Essentially, when this hotspot in the brain is firing effectively, it helps you pause and reflect before giving in to cravings, balance long-term goals against short-term impulses, and push through the moments that typically derail progress including late-night snacking, giving into junk food cravings or eating in response to stress.
So how can you take control of it to maximise weight loss?
Master microsucks and macrosucks
Stanford neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman has helped bring attention to the role of brain circuits involved in self-control, persistence and goal-directed behaviour, and he believes the aMCC is a big part of the jigsaw when it comes to optimising wellbeing.
His method to strengthen the neural pathways is to practice ‘microsucks’ and ‘macrosucks’ — two health buzzwords that are gaining traction in wellbeing circles. The concept revolves around deliberate (minor) practices that take you out of your comfort zone for greater health pay-offs. Microsucks are smaller tasks whilst macrosucks are larger tasks that push your usual boundaries.
Crucially, these microsuck and macrosuck task should not be harmful, but instead help to support discipline and long-term behavioural change.
The idea is that they train the brain to lean into effort, reinforcing discipline and long-term behavioural resilience. It’s likely that people who maintain strong, healthy habits instinctively factor microsuck and macrosuck tasks into their lifestyle.
So if you want weight loss to feel less like a constant battle, here are some simple tasks — both micro and macro, that can help you stay committed to your health goals.
Pexels
Do a speedy sweep of your kitchen and remove the foods that continually tempt you or lead to overeating. Raid your fridge, clear out your cupboards and replace unhealthy treats with healthier substitutes such as fresh or dried fruit, oatcakes, nuts and seeds.
This microsuck requires you to override the impulse to keep an emergency stash and reinforces intentional decision making.
Map out one week’s worth of meals
It might sound like a pretty boring macrosuck, but taking just 10 minutes to plan meals for the week ahead will help to remove decision fatigue and strengthens the brain’s goal-oriented circuits. Focus on one core protein source such as tofu, lentils, chicken or eggs and build meals around each ingredient.
Commit to a time-based food challenge
A fixed time framework helps to give structure to goals, so set yourself a target of giving up one thing you crave. It might be giving up sugar for a week or sidestepping crisps.
A structured macrosuck challenge that builds self-regulation and awareness around cravings can help to rewire your brain for enhanced mental toughness.
Resist the urge for seconds
Pexels
One of the reasons we reach for second helpings is often an autopilot urge. Your brain associates finishing a plate with an automatic second trip to dish out another serving. Instead, pause, check in with how you actually feel, and give your body time to register fullness.
This helps to disrupt the autopilot action and and builds tolerance to stop when you’re full instead feeling like you have to finish every last bite.
Give yourself a helping hand by keeping the serving dish out of reach and using a smaller plate to help limit portion size so that your brain registers fullness signals more effectively.
The last thing you probably feel like doing after a warm, comforting meals is lacing up tour trainers and going for a stroll, but it’s exactly the kind of microsuck friction your brain benefits from pushing through.
A 15-minute walk after meals has been shown to help reduce the glucose spike of your meal so making this a daily ritual could help to support longterm mental endurance.
