TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface IX
Chapter 1 Mood, Self-Regulation, and Overeating 3
Eating and Other Mood Regulators
Mood and Overeating
A Theory of What Moods Tell Us
A Personal Example of How Moods Cause Overeating
How We Regulate Our Energy
Self-Control
Mood and Lack of Exercise
A Look Ahead
Chapter 2 Living in a Stressful World: Mood and Overweight 15
Is Overweight a Society-Wide Problem?
Is Stress Increasing in Society?
What is the Cause of Increasing Societal Stress?
Juggling Commitments of Work and Family
Stress in the Information Age
How Do We Try to Counteract Stress?
Depression: The Growing Epidemic
Are Depression and Stress Linked to Problems of Overweight?
Chapter 3 How Are Exercise and Mood Related? 29
Exercise and Eating
Why Aren't We Exercising More?
Moderate Depression
Exercise and Mood: A Vital Connection
Exercise and Energy
Exercise Intensity and Mood
Weight Training and Mood
Too Much Exercise
The Pleasure of Exercise
Negative Moods: A Double-Edged Sword
Chapter 4 Emotional Eating 49
Do Special Diets Produce Lasting Weight Loss?
How Moods Influence Eating
Food Urges and Self-Regulation
Triggers to Overeating
Tiredness and Tension
Relapse Among Dieters
Depression
Stress
Stress and Food Choice
Who Eats More Under Stress?
Why Is Emotional Eating So Important?
Does Overweight Indicate Emotional Eating?
Chapter 5 Mood Pleasure: Food versus Exercise 71
Pleasure From Food versus Pleasure From Activity
Food, Pleasure, and Learning
Eating versus Physical Activity to Counteract Low Energy, Boredom,
Anxiety, and Depression
Understanding Weight Gain as Disproportionate Pleasure From Food
How Exercise Can Reduce the Urge to Snack
Appetite, Hunger, and Their Cause in Physiology and Mood
Appetite Suppression and Mood: The Wider Circle of Evidence
Chapter 6 Why Do We Have Moods? 87
The Measurement of Mood
How Many Moods Do We Have?
What Underlies Good and Bad Moods?
Calm Energy
Tense Energy
Tense Tiredness
Calm Tiredness
Happiness
Anger
Sexual Arousal
What Is the Function of Moods?
Energy
Tension
The Effects of Energy and Tension on Eating and Exercise
How a Little Tension, but Not Too Much, Can Raise Your Energy
How Increasing Energy Can Elevate Tension, but Only Up to a Point
Exhaustion: Too Tired to Be Tense
Chapter 7 Changes in Energy–And Mood 113
Energy Rhythms and Tension Changes
Night-Eating Syndrome
Self-Observation of Energy and Tension
Tense Tiredness and Negative Thoughts
Changing Perceptions of Our Problems
Can We Think Ourselves Into a Good Mood?
Energy Variations in Sickness and Health
The Value of Sleep
Are Your Moods Caused by Things That Happen to You?
Chapter 8 The Biopsychology of Energy and Tension 133
The Activated Freeze Response
Differences Between Energy and Tension
Both Body and Brain Direct Our Moods
Blood Glucose
Autonomic Nervous System
Hormones and Mood
Chemical Imbalance: Neurotransmitters, Modulators, and Neuropeptides
Serotonin, Endorphins, and Other Well-known Neurochemicals
Brain Structures Responsible for Arousal and Mood
Reticular Activating System
Limbic System
Cerebral Cortex
Chapter 9 Managing Your Mood 155
The Best Strategy for Eating Healthy and Maintaining an Exercise Program
Awareness
Becoming Aware of Daily Cycles of Energy and Tension
Mood Influences on Food Urges, Hunger, and Satiation
Personal Problems and Low Self-Esteem
Depression, Anxiety, Boredom, Loneliness, and Anger
Reactions to Stress
How Do You Self-Regulate Your Moods?
Your Exercise Time
Effects of Exercise on Mood
Relaxation Techniques
Cognitive Override
Appendix. Energy and Tension Ratings 179
Notes 181
Index 255
About the Author 276