Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist from NYU psychologist uses an amazing analogy of the rider, the elephant and the path as it relates to how the rational and emotional parts of the brain often contradict each other and have to be taught to work together to get to their final destination. I am not here to give you a psychology lesson but my lesson learned from this story. If I caught your interest in this topic, read more about it by searching either the author or the analogy.
Those who follow me regularly know by now I do not do New Year’s Resolutions as I think they are intentionally set up for failure and often leave you worse off before making the resolution. On the same note, the last couple of years have had some major obstacles and detours, as a result I gained weight and felt totally discouraged with my journey. I’ve seen and heard commericials for Noom as a new way to lose weight and to keep it off, at a fair cost with no special foods or supplements. I was game to try.
I’ve heard of the analogy aforementioned before, but never took notice to how it can apply to my life or my way of looking at challenges I face, especially those in terms of food. So let’s get talking about my parade (yes, this is what a herd of elephants are called) and the ones I have so far encountered while using Noom for almost six months. I differ in one view, not all elephants are menacing or evil, there are actually ones who are helpful and supportive.
Each one was discovered on an island of Noom de Robb. They were at one time thought to be a lost sub species of the African and Indian variety but as I explored the island, this new breed called a Noom elephant was discovered. As I got to know the parade, I learned how they all play together, even the ones with bad traits, they learn to play nicely with the good ones (more often than not). Before I came to this island, I only heard about elephants with a bad trait/attitude and the destruction they can do when you piss them off, not the parental traits they show on television nature shows.
I am the rider, the rational one, but my elephants are the emotional one. Yes, they do contradict each other, and often at that.
So here’s the elephants in my first parade I encountered…
· Ali - the all or nothing
· Portia - the portion distorter one
· Stella - the stressed one
· Patty - the patient procrastinator
· Carol - the carb craver
· Hugo - the always hungry one
· Wendy - the weekend warrior
· Willy - the willpower
· Jolly - the junk food eater
· Wilma - the worrier one
· Henrietta - the helpful one
· Walter - the whatever one
· Leticia - the let it go one
· Mindy - the mindful one
· Reba - the remuniater one
· Denny - the determined one
· Thomas - the tenacious one
· Robert - the resilient one
· Beau - the boastful one
· Stephenie – the submissive one
· Matty – the motherly figure one
· Fred – the fatherly figure one
I am certain after reading my list, you probably ask why most my elephants females? Parades of elephants are mostly led by a matriarch of a group of related females with their young. In this tale, the male elephants are juveniles. These traits are still being learned or skills I have not quite mastered but are dominant ones in my personality.
For my entire journey, I must not only clear the path for the elephant, but I need to reduce any obstacles which may block the journey’s path. As the rider, I have to lead the change I want to see and provide clear direction and know how to get to the my final destination by finding ways to stay one step ahead and continually motivate my parade of elephants along the path.
On a serious note, how’s Noom treating me?
In a nutshell,
I learned how to better understand my hunger, how to visualize portion control and learn to be more mindful to enjoy the eating experience. I kept off 12.50 pounds since starting in January - I say kept off not lost, because that weight didn’t come back. Lost and found is an additional 5 pounds that keep getting lost and finds me back - I am certain I will begin to keep those off too. My last doctor visit saw my A1C drop from 6.9 in September 2020 to 6.1 in May 2021.
But the elephants have allowed me to remain mindful today, try not to worry about tomorrow or remuniate my yesterdays. They also helped me better understand my emotional brain and interacts with my rational brain.
Need I say more?
This is just the start, as I learn, slow and steady wins the race and I am certain I will find another parade of elephants in the course of my not only my journey in Noom, but my journey in life. One last piece of advice I learned rather quick once I not only experienced it but became mindful of its presence … it’s always easier to guide an elephant to the path, than it is to push it from the rear.
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