← Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Dr Rangan Chatterjee on Authenticity, Compassion and Building a Healthier World #143

Dec 28, 2020 1h 42m 27 insights
CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains mild swearing and themes of an adult nature. Final episode of 2020 - It’s that time of the year again when the mics are turned and it’s me in the hot seat. Today, I sit down with colleague and close friend, Dr Ayan Panja and reflect on the past year. For me, 2020 has been a year of great introspection during which I have reflected upon my values and the definition of success – what does success really mean? We discuss how I believe that one of the most important things we can all do, is find out what success means to us. Otherwise, we can end up rushing around, trying to do more in order to live up to an idea of success that society has defined for us. Authenticity is a topic that has been spoken about a lot on the podcast this year and has been at the forefront of my mind and we discuss how I have been striving to put this at the heart of everything I do both personally and professionally. A huge part of my working week is dedicated to this podcast and we chat about some of my favourite and most impactful episodes of the year. As you may know, I have also spent a large part of this year writing my brand-new book, Feel Great, Lose Weight and we talk about why I decided to write this book and how I hope that it will help me in my mission to improve the lives of 100 million people. This is such a wide-ranging conversation, but at its core this is simply a raw and authentic interaction between two very good friends. I hope you enjoy it. Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/143 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/ Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Define Your Own Success

Take time to define what success means to you personally, rather than letting societal definitions dictate your pursuits, to avoid endlessly chasing a mythical idea.

2. Align Actions With Values

List your core values and assess if your daily actions are consistent with them, distinguishing between real and aspirational values to live a more aligned life.

3. Strive for True Authenticity

Continuously work to remove your ‘masks’ and be the same authentic person in all aspects of your life, as true connection with others is only possible when you are not performing.

4. Understand Emotional Eating

Recognize that many food choices are driven by emotional needs rather than physical hunger, as people often use food to fill emotional voids or discomfort.

5. Apply “Feel, Feed, Find”

When experiencing a craving or unwanted behavior, pause and ask: 1) What are you truly feeling (Feel)? 2) How does the behavior feed that feeling (Feed)? 3) Can you find an alternative behavior to feed that same feeling (Find)?

6. Discover Alternative Coping Mechanisms

When you identify an emotional trigger for an unwanted behavior, find alternative actions like taking a bath, doing yoga, exercising, seeking physical comfort, or changing your environment to address the underlying feeling.

7. Prioritize Sufficient Sleep

Aim for adequate sleep (e.g., 8 hours) because insufficient sleep (e.g., 5 hours) can lead to significantly increased calorie intake the following day, impacting health and weight.

8. Control the Controllables

In challenging situations, focus on controlling what you can (e.g., your mindset, daily routines, personal actions) rather than dwelling on uncontrollable external circumstances.

9. Control Your Environment

Actively manage and control the environments within your influence (e.g., home, workplace) to make healthy choices easier and reduce exposure to temptations, such as not bringing tempting foods into your house.

10. Establish a Morning Routine

Create a consistent morning routine that includes solitude, breath work, meditation, movement, and positive mindset practices while enjoying a hot drink, to enhance efficiency and well-being.

11. Move for Self-Esteem

Engage in movement primarily to feel good, improve self-esteem, and demonstrate an active engagement with life, rather than solely focusing on burning calories.

12. Incorporate Small Daily Movements

Keep a dumbbell or kettlebell accessible in your kitchen and perform small, consistent movements (e.g., 3-5 bicep curls per arm) daily, even during routine tasks like making tea, to boost self-esteem and promote an active mindset.

13. Take Social Media Breaks

Periodically go off social media for an extended period (e.g., 18 days) to reduce mental noise and better understand your own authentic thoughts and worldview.

14. Delete Social Media Apps

Delete social media apps from your phone to break habitual checking, creating mental silence that allows you to tap into your own genuine thoughts and perspectives, free from external influence.

15. Eat Greens First

Start your meal by eating a salad or vegetables first, as this slows down your eating and fills you up with fiber-rich foods, leading to less overall consumption.

16. Serve Vegetables First

Offer children a plate of vegetables first, before the rest of their meal, to ensure they eat the nutritious greens and potentially consume less of other, less healthy, items.

17. Simplify Meal Expectations

Challenge the societal conditioning that every meal must be gourmet or ‘insta-ready’ and accept simpler, repetitive, whole-food meals to reduce pressure and overconsumption.

18. Practice Mindful Savoring

When consuming something you enjoy, like alcohol or food, practice savoring it by consciously thinking about every sip or bite to enhance the experience and potentially reduce overall consumption.

19. Design Your Own Health Plan

Understand the various factors influencing your health and weight, then use this knowledge to create and design your own personalized health plan, fostering long-term ownership and success.

20. Manage Stress for Health

If stress is the primary driver of unhealthy behaviors like overeating, focus on finding effective ways to manage that stress rather than solely relying on new diets or exercise regimens.

21. Focus on Process, Not Outcome

Divorce yourself from the outcome of your efforts and instead focus on the process and journey, understanding that true growth and change come from consistent effort rather than solely the final destination.

22. Prioritize Family Over Emails

Consciously prioritize your family and personal well-being over the immediate need to respond to all emails or texts, learning to be comfortable with unread messages if it means protecting your time and relationships.

23. Technology-Free Family Meals

During family meals, especially with children, ensure no technology is present to foster connection and presence.

24. Learn From Every Person

Believe that every person you meet has something to teach you, even if it’s how you don’t want to behave, fostering a mindset of continuous learning.

25. Order Ideas Through Writing

Engage in writing, such as authoring a book, to force yourself to organize and clarify your thoughts, which can also improve your communication skills.

26. Challenge Mental Self-Imprisonment

Recognize that your mind can create the most severe prisons, and work to free yourself from self-imposed mental limitations and negative thought patterns.

27. Practice Self-Compassion

Extend compassion not only to others but also to yourself, ensuring your actions reflect this value in your daily life.