How to make healthy eating unbelievably easy | Luke Durward | TEDxYorkU

Summary

In this inspiring talk, the speaker shares his experience of helping his younger brother overcome unhealthy eating habits. After breaking his leg, he seizes the opportunity to cook every meal for his brother, educating him on proper nutrition. By altering the environment and removing unhealthy options, they achieve remarkable results: an 18-pound weight loss in just 36 days without feeling deprived. The speaker emphasizes the power of environmental influence on achieving personal goals, advocating for a proactive approach to health.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker's younger brother had a natural talent for making people laugh and an uncanny ability to consume large quantities of food.
• 🏋️‍♂️ The brother's large appetite led to concerns about his health and potential for bullying as he grew older.
• 🎓 As a student of nutrition, the speaker felt compelled to help his brother change his eating habits to prevent future health issues.
• ❄️ An unexpected broken leg incident led to the speaker having an extended period at home, which provided an opportunity to intervene in his brother's diet.
• 🍽️ The speaker decided to prepare all of his brother's meals for two weeks, educating him on proper nutrition and healthy eating.
• 🏠 By controlling the environment and replacing unhealthy options with healthy ones, the brother's eating habits were successfully altered without requiring significant willpower.
• 🍏 The strategy of making healthy food the default choice by removing temptations from the environment was effective and sustainable.
• 📉 Within a month, the brother lost 18 pounds, demonstrating the effectiveness of the environmental approach to changing eating habits.
• 🌟 The speaker emphasizes that this method can be applied to any goal, not just diet, by setting up your environment to support rather than hinder your objectives.
• 👨‍👦 The story concludes with a message of hope that everyone can achieve similar success by aligning their environment with their goals.

Q & A

What was the first thing the speaker's little brother was really good at from a young age?

The first thing the speaker's little brother was really good at was making everybody laugh without trying.

What was the second notable ability of the speaker's little brother?

The second notable ability of the speaker's little brother was eating large quantities of food, often outeating most adults at the dinner table.

Why was the speaker concerned about his little brother's eating habits?

The speaker was concerned because his little brother was regularly outeating full-grown men, which could lead to an adolescent life filled with teasing and unhealthy eating habits.

How did the speaker's broken leg incident lead to a change in his little brother's life?

The speaker's broken leg incident led to him being on crutches and having to stay home, which gave him the opportunity to help his little brother by making all of his meals and educating him about proper nutrition.

What was the main strategy the speaker used to help his little brother change his eating habits?

The main strategy the speaker used was to change his brother's environment to match his goal by replacing all the unhealthy food options with healthy ones, making it easier for his brother to make better choices.

How did the speaker ensure that his little brother did not feel hungry or deprived during the lifestyle change?

The speaker made sure to provide wholesome and nutritious food options that were not only healthy but also satisfying, ensuring that his brother did not feel hungry or deprived.

What was the result of the lifestyle change after the first seven days for the speaker's little brother?

After the first seven days of the lifestyle change, the speaker's little brother had lost five pounds.

How much weight did the speaker's little brother lose after 36 days?

After 36 days, the speaker's little brother had lost a total of 18 pounds, averaging half a pound a day.

What advice does the speaker give to help people make their environment work for them instead of against them?

The speaker advises people to identify their personal trigger foods and not keep them in their house, making healthier food options the default choice and reducing the need for difficult decisions.

What was the acronym for the standard American diet mentioned in the script, and why is it ironic?

The acronym for the standard American diet mentioned in the script is SAD, which is ironic because it stands for 'Standard American Diet' but also conveys a sense of unhappiness or dissatisfaction.

How did the speaker manage to cook for his brother while on crutches and dealing with a broken leg?

The speaker managed to cook for his brother by awkwardly maneuvering with two crutches, hot pans, and sharp knives, and taking breaks every few minutes to manage the swelling in his ankle.

Outlines

00:00

😄 Transforming a Young Brother's Eating Habits

The speaker, a nutrition or kinesiology student, shares a personal story about his younger brother's exceptional ability to eat large quantities of food, which led to health concerns. The brother's talent for humor and his tendency to outeat adults at dinner were charming but problematic. After the speaker broke his leg and had to stay off it for two months, he used the time to help his brother by cooking every meal for him and educating him on proper nutrition. The strategy involved changing the environment to support healthier eating habits, replacing unhealthy options with nutritious ones, and removing the need for willpower by eliminating temptations. The results were dramatic, with the brother losing weight and adopting a healthier lifestyle.

05:04

🛠️ Making the Environment Support Success

The speaker emphasizes the simplicity and effectiveness of the strategy used to help his brother by setting up an environment that supports success rather than hinders it. He explains that by removing unhealthy food options and replacing them with healthier ones, it becomes easier to make better choices without the struggle of willpower. The speaker suggests that this approach can be applied to any goal and provides practical advice on how to implement it in one's own life. He advises identifying personal trigger foods and removing them from the home to simplify decision-making. The speaker concludes by sharing the impressive results of his brother's lifestyle change, which included a significant weight loss over a period of weeks, without feeling deprived or hungry.

Keywords

💡Nutrition

Nutrition refers to the process by which organisms take in and utilize food substances to maintain life. In the video, the older brother, a nutrition or kinesiology student, uses his knowledge of nutrition to help his younger brother change his eating habits and improve his health. The concept is central to the video's theme, as it underpins the strategy of altering the younger brother's environment to promote healthier eating.

💡Kinesiology

Kinesiology is the scientific study of human or animal movement. The older brother is described as a kinesiology student, indicating his interest and expertise in the mechanics and physiology of body movement, which likely informs his approach to helping his brother with physical health and nutrition.

💡Protein

Protein is a macronutrient essential for the body's growth and repair. In the script, there is a humorous anecdote where the younger brother mishears 'protein' as 'poutine,' a type of Canadian dish, highlighting his initial lack of awareness about nutrition. Protein intake is also a key part of the dietary changes made for the younger brother.

💡Eating habits

Eating habits refer to the regular patterns of food consumption. The video discusses the need to change the younger brother's eating habits, which are characterized by consuming large quantities of food and unhealthy options. The transformation of these habits is central to the narrative and the strategy for promoting health.

💡Environment

In the context of the video, environment refers to the surroundings and conditions in which the younger brother lives and eats. The speaker emphasizes the importance of changing the environment to support healthier eating by replacing unhealthy food options with nutritious ones, which is a key strategy in the video's message.

💡Willpower

Willpower is the ability to control one's impulses and make decisions based on long-term goals rather than short-term desires. The video suggests that by altering the environment to remove unhealthy food options, the need for willpower is reduced, as the temptation to eat unhealthily is eliminated.

💡Deprivation

Deprivation refers to the state of being without something needed for a fulfilling life. The older brother is careful to ensure that the younger brother does not feel deprived or hungry during the dietary changes, emphasizing a balanced approach to nutrition and health.

💡Dietary change

Dietary change involves modifying one's eating patterns and food choices. The video's main theme revolves around the dietary change implemented by the older brother for the younger one, which includes removing unhealthy options and introducing nutritious alternatives.

💡SAD (Standard American Diet)

SAD, acronym for Standard American Diet, is often used to describe a diet high in processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats. In the video, the younger brother's initial diet is referred to as SAD, highlighting the need for a shift towards a more wholesome and nutritious way of eating.

💡Weight loss

Weight loss is the reduction of body mass, typically due to a decrease in fat. The video shares the success story of the younger brother's weight loss journey, which is a direct result of the dietary and environmental changes made by his older brother.

💡Strategy

A strategy in this context is a carefully planned approach to achieve a specific goal. The video outlines a strategy for changing eating habits by altering the environment to support healthier choices, which is a central concept in the speaker's message.

Highlights

The brother's natural talent for humor and his ability to make people laugh without trying.

His exceptional appetite, often outeating adults during meals.

Concerns about the brother's health due to his eating habits and potential for obesity.

The older brother's background in nutrition and kinesiology and his determination to help.

An accident that led to the older brother's broken leg and a unique opportunity to help his brother.

The decision to stop attending classes and focus on helping his brother change his eating habits.

The strategy of changing the brother's environment to support healthier eating habits.

The practical challenges of cooking while recovering from a broken leg.

The remarkable results of the two-week intervention, including significant weight loss.

The concept of making the environment work for you instead of against you in achieving goals.

The importance of removing unhealthy food options to reduce the need for willpower.

The strategy's effectiveness in avoiding feelings of deprivation by eliminating temptations.

The simplicity and effectiveness of removing barriers to success in achieving goals.

Practical advice on how to implement this strategy in one's own life.

The final results of the brother's lifestyle change, including a significant weight loss over 36 days.

The aspiration for everyone to have their environment working for them to achieve success.

Transcripts

Translator: Maurício Kakuei Tanaka Reviewer: Adam Fitzgerald

My little brother

was very good at a few things from a very young age.

The first thing he was really good at was making everybody laugh without trying.

Like the one time I told him

he should have a little bit of protein after a workout.

He got all excited because he thought I said "poutine."

(Laughter)

The second thing he was good at was eating large quantities of food.

Come dinner time,

it wasn't uncommon for him to outeat most of the adults at the table.

Now, as you may have guessed, as a five-foot-nothing little boy,

there is, in fact, a downside to regularly outeating full-grown men.

At just 11 years old, I could already see that, if nothing else changed,

my little brother was headed for an adolescent life

littered with teasing and unhealthy eating.

As his older brother, I wanted to do something about it.

As a nutrition, or kinesiology student, with an intense interest in nutrition,

I knew that I had to do something about it.

Initially, I wasn't sure how, but I was determined to find a way.

Now, in March of 2013,

I broke my leg while I was walking to class,

and I slipped on some ice.

Yes, that is the whole story.

I was walking, there was some ice.

Poof, broken leg.

No lives saved.

No purses returned.

No cool story to tell.

Little did I know as I lay there in that quickly melting puddle of ice,

waiting for the ambulance to arrive,

that this moment would forever change the life of my little brother.

After I had a surgery

to attach a small titanium plate and a few screws onto my fibula,

I was given two crutches,

and told not to put any weight on my leg for two months.

This posed a unique problem,

as there was still plenty of snow and ice on the ground.

And I still had two months left of class,

spread out over one of the largest campuses in the country.

So, with that in mind, I made a decision

that any hard-working student in my position would do.

And I obviously decided to stop going to classes.

(Laughter)

Now, with all this free time from studying at home,

I had finally figured out how I was going to help my little brother.

I knew that what he needed to do was very simple in theory,

but very difficult in practice.

What he needed to do was change his eating habits.

From experience

I knew the things that he needed to change, and the things that he didn't.

The problem was that communicating this through somebody else

would most likely just end up like the childhood game of telephone.

The message gets passed along,

but with little misunderstandings and misinterpretations along the way.

There's not much left of the original message,

and everybody's just left confused.

And my little brother's eating habits are left unchanged.

So, keeping that in mind, I made one of the best decisions of my life,

and I decided to move back home for the next two weeks,

and make every single meal that my little brother would eat,

educating him about proper nutrition along the way.

While I was at home,

in the kitchen, I often found myself awkwardly trying to maneuver

holding on to two crutches, hot pans, and sharp knives.

It wasn't very easy.

I also had to make sure to take little breaks every few minutes

to make sure that the swelling in my ankle wouldn't become unbearable.

Now, after just two weeks,

not only were the results phenomenal,

but they were as a result of a strategy that anybody can use.

The reason we were able to see such dramatic and positive results,

which I'm very excited to share with you later,

is that we changed his environment to match his goal.

We made his environment work for him, instead of against him.

This simply meant replacing all of the bad options with healthy ones.

Making this uncomplicated adjustment

enabled us to easily transform his nutrition,

from the standard American diet,

ironically referred to from its acronym SAD,

to wholesome and nutritious without a hitch.

Because of the planning this wasn't the least bit difficult to do.

When you remove the unhealthy options,

wholesome and nutritious food becomes both plan A, and plan B.

The beauty of this solution

is that it takes willpower almost completely out of the equation.

Quite simply, if it's not there, you can't eat it.

An added bonus to this strategy

is if there's no chips on the counter calling your name,

it's likely that you'll just forget about them,

and completely avoid the feeling of deprivation all at once.

Little bit of a brain block.

This may sound a little bit too simple to be true,

but I assure you it's not.

When you remove the barriers to your success --

in my little brother's case, unhealthy food --

and you replace, or you pave the way, barrier-free,

the road to success becomes a much smoother ride.

So set up your environment

so that it works for you, instead of against you.

This works well for any goal.

For my little brother, I was the environment.

I made all of his food, gave him the right snacks,

and answered all of his questions.

But what would that have looked like if I wasn't there,

and how can you make this work for you?

Well, to be successful,

you have to minimize the difficult decisions being made.

Say, for example, you walk into the lobby,

and, on the left of those tables, is delicious chocolate chip cookies,

squares, and everything you like.

On the right side, is fresh fruit and vegetables,

vibrant colors, chopped up nicely, they're crunchy and juicy.

You've been sitting in here for two hours, so you're starving,

you have a choice to make.

Should you choose option A on the left,

or should you choose the wholesome nutritious broccoli on the right?

Given this scenario,

I think it would be very hard for most of us

to resist the temptation of option A.

This is a real-life situation,

and it's one that happens all the time.

It's very important, because of that reason.

So when you remove the barriers to your success,

it will just become a little bit easier

for you to not have to make that hard decision

in the first place.

Here's how you can make this strategy work for yourself.

Start off by finding out what your personal trigger foods are,

and make a promise to not keep them in your house anymore.

So that when the time comes,

the decision has already been made for you.

Now, that's not to say you can never have these foods again.

If you really want one, you can always just go to the store, and buy one,

or you can keep it

so that you're only having them at special events, such as this.

Just don't keep a stash underneath the cupboard

if you know that they're going to be an issue for you.

That's how you make your environment work for you, instead of against you.

That's how you make healthy eating

the default, and not the exception.

So if you have a personal goal of eating better,

go home, find all of your junk food,

and a neighbor that you're not particularly fond of,

and give it all to them.

The basis of this strategy worked for my little 11-year-old brother,

and it can certainly work for you too.

Let me just finish off

by sharing the final results of my little brother's lifestyle change.

Let me also just point out,

that I had one main rule that I wanted to follow

with the change.

At no point,

did I want my 11-year-old brother to feel hungry, or deprived.

Here's how that worked out.

After the first seven days, he had lost five pounds.

After the second week, it was eight pounds.

But it didn't just stop there.

I went back to write exams, and he kept going.

After 20 days, it was ten pounds,

and, by 36 days,

he had averaged half a pound a day

to top it off at 18 pounds lost.

(Applause)

[Make your environment work FOR YOU]

If everybody had their environment working for them, instead of against them,

my little brother's level of success would be the norm.

My hope is that one day it will be.

Thank you.

(Applause)