Behave Yourself Podcast

What is ABA?What is health?As sciences, do they work together?In this episode, we continue to discuss this, evidence from the science and the role behaviour analysts can play in health services.Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

What is ABA?What is health?As sciences, do they work together?In this episode, we discuss this and evidence from the science on how well they marry together and the role behaviour analysts can play in health services.Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, we talked about the behavioural factors at play when athletes risk so much by taking banned substances.Very few athletes HAVEN'T tested positive for drugs at some point. Of the 30 fastest men's 100m sprint times ever, only nine have been run by an athlete not banned for drugs, all by Jamaica's Usain Bolt. He holds the record for the three fastest 100m sprints in history.A survey of US Olympians or aspiring Olympians who were asked if they would use a banned performance enhancing drug were given two scenarios:* You will not be caught and you will win.98% of the athletes said they would use the banned performance enhancing drug in this case.* You will win every competition you enter for the next five years but will then die from the side effects.50% of athletes said they would use the banned performance enhancing drug in this case (Bamberger, 1997).The results show just how strong the ‘win at all' costs attitude is across sporting individuals, only enhanced by the social pressures encountered by every athlete across every sport and level.Accidental vs purposefulWhose responsibility?Crossfit being such an all-rounderCost benefit analysisRisks:- Getting caught- Reputation marred for life- Losing titles / sponsorship- Lower fertility- BaldnessRewards:- World records- Faster recovery- Money- Fame- Long term strength gainsRisk aversionSimilar arenas in which such risky behaviour occur:Criminal behaviourDrinking drivingGamblingFree climbing / free divingExtreme sportsInstagrammers doing stupid things for likesPunishment isn't consistentReinforcement is intermittentConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, we discussed a recent JABA article about road safety:Myers, C., Zane, T., Van Houten, R. and Francisco, V.T. (2022), The effects of pedestrian gestures on driver yielding at crosswalks: A systematic replication. Jnl of Applied Behav Analysis, 55: 572-583. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.905*Road safety isn't our typical 'go to' when we think of health but actually, it's pretty important when it comes to staying alive!*I love this as another display of how behaviour analysis isn't just for autism*Pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely to sustain fatal injuries compared to passengers in vehiclesThere are plenty of measures to encourage drivers to keep pedestrians safe, but what can YOU do as a pedestrian?In this study,  in every condition, the pedestrian placed their right foot inside the crosswalk, made the appropriate gesture according to the condition, and waited for the vehicle to stop completely or slow down and the driver to motion the pedestrian to cross prior to crossing the street.During Baseline (i.e., no gesture) at Site 1, an average of 5.8% of drivers yielded to pedestrians. Both interventions showed an improvement over Baseline with an average of 16% of drivers yielding to pedestrians during the extended arm condition and 10.8% of drivers yielding to pedestrians during the raised hand condition. Site 2 averaged 15% of motorists yielding during Baseline. Again, both interventions showed an improvement over Baseline with an average of 28% of motorists yielding during extended arm and 39.3% of motorists yielding during raised hand. Site 3 had an average of 26.7% of motorists yielding during Baseline. Both interventions showed improvement over Baseline with 54.9% of drivers yielding during the extended arm condition and 57.2% of drivers yielding during the raised hand condition.Other factors feed in - time of day, gender, location, speed of driver etc please don't take this to mean you'll always be safe just by raising your hand!Not exactly ground breaking, but...It's reflective of many situations we see. We assume we know what's best or right but rarely do we have the data. e.g. clothing worn - we're told to wear bright and reflective clothing but there's no studies into this, it just makes senseThis is where behaviour analysts can helpWhat else could behavior analysts do here?Write task analyses for children and older people who are more likely to be in pedestrian traffic accidentsBehaviour skills trainingGroup level for implementing consequences for stopping safely for pedestriansThe study noted that most vehicles were travelling above the speed limit - this is certainly something BAs could tackle, e.g. average speed limitConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, we talked about whether you can drink alcohol regularly if you have a fat loss / muscle building goal.* First and foremost, I love a drink.* Not talking here about problem drinking * Research is mixed.* What is clear is that it isn't BENEFICIAL for losing fat and building muscle.* Chronic alcohol ingestion impairs pancreatic enzyme secretion, which can lead to nutrient malabsorption, particularly of fat and protein. * Pancreatic endocrine function can be affected*Insulin resistance is a common side effect of alcoholism* Alcohol consumption can alter nutrient status.  Alcohol consumption leads to impaired amino acid uptake and protein synthesis in the liver, along with increased protein oxidation due to necessary cell regeneration. * Alcohol acts as an antagonist to vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, and vitamin K.  Vitamin E has also been depleted in those who consume alcohol.* Hormones - Chronic alcohol intake is one of the most powerful mediators of sex hormones. Ethanol is a testicular toxin and can increase the activity of aromatase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen in the body.  Chronic male alcoholics develop an assortment of endocrine disorders, including infertility, gonadal atrophy, and feminization, caused in part by elevated production of estrogens and low testosterone levels.  Alcohol abusers tend to have lower testosterone (and LH and FSH).* Good news! Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with health benefits. * There may be some social or stress management benefits but they could also be gained through other means.* Also, moderate drinkers may be moderate people, which can lead to improved overall health.* What is moderate? Half to one drink per day or a drink several times a week.* Red wine isn't necessarily ‘the best' - it's heart healthy compounds like resveratrol can be found in many other foods.* What are the behavioural factors?* After a drink, your inhibitions loosen. Suddenly the 2nd, 3rd and 4th drink seem like a good idea. So do the chips on the way home.* The next day, you're more likely to be tired, dehydrated perhaps even hungover and so less likely to eat and exercise for your goals.* What else could you ‘spend' those alcohol calories on?* Imagine a 3 year old saying, “But I just don't want to live without alcohol daily”. Pretty sad right?* “I can't live without alcohol” Can't you? Do you want to take it to bed at night?* What to do?* Take some data - how often and how much are you really drinking? How do you feel during and after? How's your weight/muscle goals going?* Consider your values around alcohol* Plan for ways to reduce - some booze-free days / water-wine-water-wine / replacement drinks* Take a break completely to reset your ‘norms' - sober October, dry January etc.* Get support and accountabilityConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, we talked about ethics in behaviour analysis and applying our code of ethics to fields outside of autism and learning disabilities.Emily and I have chosen to apply our certification in behaviour analysis (as awarded by the BACB) to health and fitness. The certification isn't specific to any one application, it's not an ‘autism certification' so this is entirely allowed as long as it's within your scope of practice. Scope of practice may mean you have addition qualifications or experience in that area. In our cases, Emily is a qualified PT with experience working as a PT. I'm PN1 certified and have experience working with adults on their health and nutrition goals. When you certify through the BACB, you sign a contract stating that you will comply with their code of ethics.Why are we doing this podcast? Well… increasing numbers of behaviour analysts are branching out into the field of health and fitness and the rigour with which the code of ethics is being adhered to is getting sloppy, in my opinion.Now… If someone is a behaviour analyst from Monday to Wednesday and a health coach from Thursday to Saturday and they don't advertise their health services as being behaviour analytic in nature or display their BACB credentials, then it's fair game. But that's not what's happening.Being a BCBA AND a health/fitness coach is what, in theory, makes us better than any other health and fitness professionals. So we need to actually be better.BACB have an ethics department with a lawyer on staff. They're not playing.For non-behaviour analysts, but maybe you're interested in our profession or in working with a behaviour analyst - I'd recommend you go and look at the BACB's code of ethics. IMO, it's a thing of beauty. It's not perfect, but it does a good job. It's 19 pages of in-depth ethical considerations.Big problems that I see:1. Client confidentiality - 2.03 Protecting Confidential Information AND 2.04 Disclosing Confidential Information - AND 5.02 Confidentiality in Public Statements (see 2.03, 2.04, 3.10)2. Advertising and sharing client testimonials - 5.07 Soliciting Testimonials from Current Clients for Advertising (see 1.11, 1.13, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10) and 5.08 Using Testimonials from Former Clients for Advertising (see 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10) -3. 5.10 Social Media Channels and Websites (see 1.02, 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)Informed Consent - What even is it?4. Multiple relationships - 1.11 Multiple Relationships5. Scope of competence - 1.05 Practicing within Scope of Competence6. Non-behaviour analytic services - 5.06 Advertising Nonbehavioral Services (see 1.01, 1.02, 2.01)7. Reporting unethical behaviour is wildly aversive8. Why has this annoyed me so much?9. Expect betterConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Episode name: How to 'get back on track'In this episode, we talked about how to get back on trackIdeally, there's no track to be on or off.Realistically, you can get ‘off track'.1. Get curious not critical. Why did you fall off track? What was the antecedent? What can you do to prevent that in future?2. Re-evaluate what your track is. Is it value driven? What are the risks associated with staying off track? Potential benefits? What will it take to get back on track? Downsides? Potential benefits?3. Consider your personality type. Do you work well with new year new me style changes? Or small easy wins?4. MOs. Can we have a reset? Or would restriction send you into a spiral of over-restrict/over-indulge?5. Set daily habits. Start small. Habit stack.6. Get parameters in place. You might accept you're staying ‘off the rigid track' but still within the ball park. For my own nutrition, this looked like minimum 2 portions of protein a day and 6 portions of fruit and veg.With food:1. Go food shopping2. Fill your house with foods you want to eat3. If necessary, clear out the foods you don't want to eat and/or note how you want to work on them and make a plan of how to do so.4. Have a plan of how these foods will be used5. Accept that the first few days/week will suck6. Prep in bulk or batches7. Take food out and about with you if you know you're out all day8. Have a budget and stick to it9. Plan for ‘treats' and being off planConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, we talked about the big life changes we've experienced in the last few months and changes to the podcast.Emily:* Divorce* Moving house* Living for herself* From grey fuzzball to multicoloured sparkly fuzzball…?!Jo:* Insomnia to the extreme* Pregnant * Moving house, out of LondonConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, we had the pleasure of talking to Kaitlin Wilder (@Wildsidebehavior) about her transition from being a school-based BCBA to applying ACT to life coaching.We discussed:* Her being a circus performer, aerialist, fire eater* Going from being a school-based BCBA to life coach.* From a need for control, serving others to realising it deprived her.* To be doing “good”, you have to be doing work that's really HARD, right?!* From hitting rock bottom to changing her purpose* What is a life coach?* What is ACT?* Defining your values* What makes a good life coach?* Using ACT in her workhttps://wildsidebehavior.com/Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, we were thrilled to invite Emily Varon back to speak to use about how sleep impacts our nutrition!Disclaimer: we do touch on weight from a health perspectiveWe talked about:* How sleep impacts our food choices.* What happens when we sleep: gut regenerates, brains detox, etc.* When we sleep less than 7 hours per night, leptin and ghrelin up regulate. So you will feel more hungry!* After 2 nights of only 4-5 hours of sleep, participants ate on average 300-400 more calories on average, mostly of sugar and carbohydrates.* How short sleep affects your mental health* Sleep apnoea* Napping* CaffeineFind more from Emily at:https://readysetsleep.com/CEUS: https://readysetsleep.thinkific.com/ Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Emily Varon about sleep! Emily Varon is a BCBA with a dedicated focus on sleep-related behaviors. She takes the complicated issue of pervasive sleep problems and helps behavior analysts develop  appropriate and ethical behavior plans for improving the quality of sleep for consumers and their caregivers. Her focus on sustainability of sleep habits versus “good” or “bad” habits offers families and clinicians a broader, long-view perspective of sleep, resulting in more sustainable results over time.We discussed:- Why is sleep a behaviour analytic issue?- Is sleep a behaviour?- Common sleep issues- Top sleep tips- and much more!You can find more from Emily Varon at https://readysetsleep.com/ and on Instagram at https://instagram.com/readysetsleep_  and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-varon-417aa521/ Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Why think about dating and flirting?Much sociological research into dating looks at the form of dating and people's intentions, but as behaviour analysts we can look at the functions of the behaviour, verbal and non-verbal behaviour and how our learning histories affect our choices.What is it?"Flirtation” refers to behaviour that entails conversation, body language, or physical contact that potentially establishes or maintains a romantic or sexual relationship between two people. It's all a form of verbal behaviour and we can study it as such - think topography.Skinner (1957) defined verbal behavior as behavior maintained by a verbal community in which the interaction of speakers and listeners established the practices of the verbal community itself. Flirting is really ambiguous. It's framed by a number of rules but the rules are dynamic as well as implicit instead of explicit. The rules are also very different depending on age, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion and learning history.Functions:What's the function?- Escape… societal disapproval of 30+ unmarried women (hello spinster vs bachelor).- Escape… loneliness or lack of socially mediated reinforcement?- Access to automatic reinforcement - the physical side relationships.- Tangible… gold digging?- Social… dating purely for social engagement?- Mate selection- Social… knowing someone else finds you attractiveResearchers using scripts of flirtatious acts have found that women are more likely to report flirtation as serving the primary function of “having fun” or maintaining a relationship while men report flirtation as “sex-directed” (Henningsen, 2004)Autoclitics:HOW something is said is often more important that WHAT is said. Autoclitics - “You are pretty” vs “I think you're pretty” The autoclitic is defined as verbal behavior that modifies other verbal behavior or the reaction of the listener.Think Joey from friends and “How you doin'?”Wade found that the autoclitic function of “you and me” is more successful in prolonging the duration of a conversation and potentially securing a first date in comparison to the function of “we.” For example, “you and I should grab coffee sometime” was more successful than “we should grab coffee sometime.”Topographies:Grammar et al. (2000)-  female interest in a male was positively correlated with “courtship” behaviors e.g. coy smiles. For males, high production of speech was correlated with interest. EnvironmentThe same behaviours that could be considered flirting (making eye contact, leaning towards someone, touching them) in the right circumstances but not in others.What about MOs and conditional discriminations?Reference:Wade J. A. (2018). (I Think) You Are Pretty: a Behavior Analytic Conceptualization of Flirtation. Perspectives on behavior science, 41(2), 615–636. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-018-0136-yConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Body triggers a stress responsePositive Overwhelm: overwhelmed by the outpouring generosity or supportStress/overwhelm can be manifested to benefit us but many times, hinders usFlight-fight-freeze response gets triggered/ panic mode/ shut down-- escape/avoidanceOperationally define Overwhelm- looks similar but different for everyone Deep breaths -- coping strategies -- expel carbon dioxide which leads to relaxationBoundaries: to prevent in the future (self-advocacy skills/manding/communication)Break down big tasks into small managable tasks- task analysisCreate sustainable routines- chainingLook at the antecedents that triggered the overwhelmConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Sarah Burby is BCBA who specializes in Intuitive Eating from a behavior analytic perspective10 Principles of Intuitive Eating1. Reject the diet mentality2. Honor your hunger3. Make peace with food4. Challenge the food police5. The satiation factor6. Feel your fullness7. Cope with Emotions with Kindness8. Respect your body9. Movement - Feel the difference10. Honor your health - Gentle NutritionIndividualized approaches Shaping, Task Analysis, Desensitization Approacheshttps://www.smallchangeshwncoaching.com/sarahburby@smallchangescoaching.comhttps://www.facebook.com/smallchangeshwncoaching/https://www.instagram.com/smallchanges_coaching/?hl=enConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Brian is an autistic BCBA - the “Bearded Behaviorist” We discussed ASD as the medical model and how the assumption is that the behaviours observed are not rational.So what is the behaviour analytic perspective on ASD?We talked about:Radical behaviourism - all behaviour is rational within contextMedical model vs social modelSelf managementBehaviour analysts should be scientist teachersNeurotypes serves ecological nicheYou can find Brian at:https://beardedbehaviorist.com/https://www.facebook.com/BeardedBehavioristhttps://www.instagram.com/beardedbehaviorist/?hl=enhttps://twitter.com/behaviorbeardedConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

FOMO = fear of missing outFOMO - coined in 2004. In 2013, British psychologists defined it as “pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent”Examples - you say yes to drinks on a Friday night despite being shattered, low on money with a busy Saturday because you don't want to miss out on the fun times your friends will have.Two processes:1. The perception of missing out…2. Followed by a compulsive behaviour to maintain these social connections.Why look at it from a behaviour analytic perspective?- ABA is pigeon holed into being only an ‘autism therapy' - we want to break that mold- By understanding the underpinnings to a behaviour, you can change it- FOMO might be causing a range of negative consequences for individuals - anxiety, lack of personal time, spending too much, etcFOMO isn't simply a behaviour as such but a thought process and then subsequent behaviours.So thinking about the thought process…Acceptance and commitment therapy is based on the thought that as humans we suffer BECAUSE we have language. Animals don't necessarily have the complex language that we have where we can think with language about the past or future and that we become fused with that language. It supposes that human language and cognition is often the foundation for negative thoughts and emotions (such as self-criticism, obsession, deception, prejudice, and fear).What might some of the thought processes or the ‘internal language' be?- I'll miss all the fun times!- I won't be a part of the group- Something extraordinary will happen and I'll miss it- People might talk badly about me behind my back if I'm not there- If I don't go this time, I might not be invited the next timeWhat might the subsequent behaviours be?- Going out even when tired, with not much money, when it's cold, when you're already over-socialised- Drinking when you maybe didn't want to- Eating restaurant food when perhaps you didn't want to (food already bought/prepped, health goals, money worries)- Feeling tired and under-rested the next daybut also…- ‘Knowing' you didn't miss out- You might not have experienced the perceived potential wonderful experiences but you didn't miss anything.By giving into FOMO, your behaviour will be reinforced - with negative reinforcement of those worrying thoughts.If you don't go out, you may:- See photos on social media that paint a glossier picture of what really happened- You may actually miss an unusual event - you'll be intermittently punished for not going out!- Not be present in your evening in alone and so not enjoy everything on offer because you're so worried about what you're missingWhat about private verbal rehearsal?- How often do you recall the ‘good times' with friends?- How often do we tact (label) the good times we had by ourselves?- How often do we reflect on our interpersonal relationships by considering the times we spend together?- How often do we reflect on our intrapersonal relationships (the relationship we have with ourselves / how much we like and care for ourselves) by considering the times we spend alone?What about our culture?- I'll sleep when I'm dead- Live every day like it's your last- Live, laugh, love- Keep calm and carry on- WHY? Fewer industries make money by you putting your PJs on and having a bath.How about we make others:- Rest, relax and recuperate- I'll be older on my deathbed if I practice proper self care- My mental health is more important than how many bars I visit this week.- You can't pour from an empty cup.Advice for listeners:- Do check in with yourself - what do you really want?- What does your mental health and body really ne

4 Functions of BehaviorAccess to TangiblesAttentionEscape/AvoidanceAutomatic (sensory)5 Love LanguagesWords of Affirmation-verbal praise-attentionPhysical Touch-sexual or non-sexual physical interactions-attention-automatic (sensory)Quality Time- spending uninterrupted, valuable time with another-AttentionActs of Service-an act done for another individual-Escape/AvoidanceReceiving Gifts-physical items given-access to tangiblesConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

As a coach/consultant/BCBA, what value are you providing to your clients?In an age when everything is Google-able, why bother having a coach?What do coaches provide that isn't available from Google?Google can be too much information / incorrect informationObjectivityWhat's the 'value' in this?Why do people need coaches?Why choose a particular coach?Assess your current abilities, needs, skills, etcHelp you clarify your goals, steps towards your goals, valuesHelp you be realistic about your goalsHelp with focus on what's important to reach your goalsGoogle might give you a 'curriculum'Support and accountabilityHelp to motivate you / give you the mindset you wouldn't give yourselfInvesting in yourselfConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Dr Aisha is a paediatric doctor, qualified personal trainer, weight loss coach and mum of a little girl AND currently training to be a neurolinguistic programmer!She works with busy professional mums to lose weight without following fad diets or taking magic pills, helping busy women take control of their life and health so they can feel comfortable and confident in their skin.Other weight loss episodes:* Weight loss series - episodes 19, 20, 21* Life after weight loss - episode 55* Diets don't work - episode 56* Exercise for weight loss - episode 58* Doctor Aishah - episode 60* Mindset around weight loss* Health* Medical reasons for weight loss* Experiential reasons* Societal reasons: there are plenty! Doesn't make them ‘right'* Benefit of losing fat - gaining an understanding of what your body can do* Benefit of losing fat - Aesthetics…* Downside to weight loss - When other displeasures are blamed on weight* Downside to weight loss - focus simply on calories not other aspects of food (enjoyment, nutrients, culture)Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Julie is a fellow BCBA-D and an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Her teaching includes undergraduate and graduate courses in statistics, research methods, organizational behavior management, organizational psychology, personnel psychology, applied behavior analysis, organizational systems and development, personnel training and development, and worker wellbeing. Her teaching and advising has been recognized at the University of Minnesota Duluth with the receipt of the 2012 Outstanding Faculty Award (UMD Student Awards) and the 2012-2013 College of Education and Human Service Professions Outstanding Advisor Award, along with a nomination for the 2015-16 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.She's the Founder of InJewel LLC, a values-focused coaching and consulting company that seeks to enhance individual and organisational performance and wellbeing.Her research relates to the application of behaviour analysis to address challenges in health, sport, and fitness, the use of Acceptance and Commitment Training to address challenges in coaching and self-management, and evaluating interventions to improve personal, professional, and organisational wellbeing.She is also active on social media on Instagram drjulieslowiak and sickness_health_and_love on instagram* We've touched on ACT briefly and ABA extensively in previous podcast episodes, but for our listeners, could you give an overview of what ACT is?* You talk openly on social media about your own experience with a chronic health condition. Can you talk how you use ACT in relation to managing chronic health conditions? Any specific strategies?* What would you say are the biggest challenges experiences by those with a chronic health condition?* What research into ACT and chronic health would you like to see conducted in the coming years?Book recommendations:Russ Harris - When Life Hits HardJoanna Dhal (The Green book) Living beyond the PainEvelyn - The Power of SmallSteve Hayes - Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your LifeConnect with Julie:IG -- @drjulieslowiak or @sickness_health_and_loveLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-slowiak-phd-bcba/Email: injewelcoaching@gmail.com Website: www.injewelcoaching.comConnect with the Behavior Analysis in Health, Sport, and Fitness Special Interest Group:IG @hsf.abaiEmail: director@hsfsig.orgWebsite: www.hsfsig.orgConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

As awareness is increasing surrounding personal pronouns, our verbal behavior is needing to increase as well. We took a behavior analytic and verbal behavior approach to discussing personal pronouns. What self-advocacy and communication is needed to help support the teaching and re-learning of our verbal behavior. The visual stimuli is the same but the language to tact a person's preferred pronouns varies greatly. What we're taught at a young age is people with short hair, pants and shirt is a boy and people with long hair, a dress and pretty shoes is a girl is completely irrelevant to determining a person's preferred pronouns. What are your thoughts and personal experiences on this topic, changing your verbal behavior and increasing awareness?Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Factors that affect food choices:* Biological determinants such as hunger, appetite, and taste* Economic determinants such as cost, income, availability* Physical determinants such as access, education, skills (e.g. cooking) and time* Social determinants such as culture, family, peers and meal patterns* Psychological determinants such as mood, stress and guilt* Attitudes, beliefs and knowledge about foodJam studyIn 2000, psychologists Iyengar & Lepper published a study about jams. One on day at a food market, they had a food stall with different kinds of jams and on another day, at the same food market, they displayed only 6 different types of jam. They found was that while the big display table (with 24 jams) generated more interest, people were far less likely to purchase a jar of jam than in the case of the smaller display (about ten times less likely).The study shows that while choice seems appealing, at first sight, choice overload generates the wrong results.It was more than just sales volume affected - the bigger display of jams lead to a lower customer satisfaction than the smaller display, proving that choice can actually demotivate the customer.* Have a smaller selection of snacks in the house* Have a small set list of workouts* Clothing - Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos - all have a 'uniform'* Accessibility nudge (have it closer to hand) - reduce task demand* Salience nudge (make it look more attractive)* Social proof nudge (Show it's popular with others)Sunk cost fallacy* The tendency to pursue a course of action, even after it has proved to be suboptimal, because resources have been invested in that course of action.* E.g. staying with a partner because you've been with them for 10 years, even if the relationship is of poor quality.* Loss aversion * The tendency to pursue a course of action, even after it has proved to be suboptimal, because resources have been invested in that course of action.* E.g. staying with a partner because you've been with them for 10 years, even if the relationship is of poor quality.Decision fatigue - Too much choice* The theory states we only have the mental energy to make a certain number of decisions in a day.* This makes our choices less likely to be value-led / sensible in the evenings than they are in the mornings* Never buy from Amazon after 8pm at night, don't message your ex in an evening and choose your food/health choices in the morning.Variety - the more flavours and varieties of food we have, the more we're likely to eat. E.g. you're more likely to eat more from a buffet that if you have one plate of a single type of food like pasta.* Limit number of foods availableForced choice modelHanley:A = go homeB = yearn and earnC = unconditional R+Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Getting back on track after the holidays:- Best time to plant a tree? 10 years ago. 2nd best time? Now- Reevaluate your values. How to do this.- SMART goals- Make your goals public.- Get an accountability partner.- Don't over-restrict / try to implement too many changes at once.- Utilise the quieter times of JanuaryBaseline data... what?- Pen and paper, notes on phone, whiteboard pen on fridhe, app on phone - anything!- Tally the how many times you do the behaviour you're looking to change.Precision nutrition... why?- Minimum certification required to practice nutrition with BCBA certification- EXCELLENT course with a lot to learn from.Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Boundaries keep everyone safe and healthy.A boundary is a decision you make for yourself about what you will do if a certain behaviour happens around you that you don't want to be around.A boundary when you remove access to yourself when someone demonstrates that they're not honouring, respecting or protecting you.It's a rule. If, then.Simple, known ones might be…No-one is allowed to smoke in my house, if they ask to, I'll say no and direct them outside. If they ignore me, they'll be asked to leave, forcefully if need be.Less obvious ones might beI don't like to be touched without prior permission (e.g. may I give you a hug?)Boudaries have nothing to do with how ‘bad' the behaviour is.Are boundaries to keep us safe from others? What is bad?Boundaries aren't about controlling or changing other people's ‘bad behaviour'. It's about staying true to your values.Are you coming from s place of love for yourself or the other person.You shouldn't believe that they're not allowed to do what they're doing or that you are somehow ‘better'.Who's values are you honouring? It's a form of self care.You should be ready to reinforce it.If your intent is only to change the other persons behaviour, it likely won't be successful because your reinforcer won't come soon enough.Understand they're allowed to behave however they want to behave.Be clear on the boundary - be specific.e.g. if Uncle Eric talks about my weight, I'll give him one kind but clear verbal warning and if he does it again, I'm leaving the conversation / house / phonecallYou don't need to tell the other person this. Sometimes it's better not to!Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

There are enough blog articles, podcasts, etc with holiday gift guides that exalt all the excesses of consumerism. We decided to do a holiday gift guide with a difference that requires little to no money and hopefully allows you to have a merrier Christmas, calmer family time and reach the New Year in a better headspace.1. Self care - How can you care for yourself in a way that you show up to Christmas, Hannukah, Diwali, whatever you celebrate as your ‘best self'. Can you delegate some jobs to your partner? Can you outsource any job? Can you prepare things little and often? Can you plan for those things that make you feel grounded - walks/baths/naps/time alone?2. Let go of expectations - I think a lot of stress comes from our high expectations of what ‘should' be.3. Non appearance based compliments. want you to know it. Examples:- You have the best energy- You're so much fun to be around- You've really changed my perspective on…- You have great taste in…- You have the best sense of humour. - You're such a good friend/mum/brother.- I love how passionate you are about _______. - You're going to make our family / friendship group / the world a better place. - You're such a good listener. - Your optimism is infectious.4. Conversation starters. e.g.:- Have you done anything exciting lately?- How did you meet the host?- What was the last good book you read?- Do you listen to any podcasts? Which is your favourite?- What do you think is the best show on Netflix right now?- Have you been on any interesting trips lately?- If you didn't have the job you have now, what would you be?- What is the most rewarding part of your career?- If you could travel back in time, what decade would you choose to live in?- What's the best thing you've ever bought off Amazon?- What is one thing you can't live without?- What's the strangest dream you've had recently?5. Values assessment. What are your values going into this festive time? They likely change during the festive period. Would you rather be right or loving? Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Dr Heather McKee is a health behaviour specialist with a masters in physical activity and health psychology and a PhD in weight loss behaviour change psychology.She supports others to build health and wellness with measurable and long lasting results.We talked about:What do people who successfully maintain health behaviours long term do differently from those who don't?How to view failuresHow to plan for failuresMindsetCompassionGoal settingYou can find more from Heather at www.drheathermckee.co.uk and www.bitesizedhabits.coConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

We welcome Mallory Anderson-Macy on the podcast to discuss ACT, burnout and self care.* Mallory's work and what she does* What is ACT?* High rates of provider burnout* What is burnout?* Where to start?* Defining the life you really want* Big 3 - time, resources, energy* Don't 'should' on yourself* What as a clinician can I do to help my staff to protect against burnout?* Book reco - Brief Intervention for Radical Change - book Kirk Strosahl* mindfullymallory.com* Book - Seven Days to Clarity* YouTube - Mindfully Mallory* @MindfulMallory on InstagramConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services.

Water - salty foods, heatingStill prioritise movement - Lack of motivation for "summer body"- reframe goalsStill eating veggies and fruitThose with kids / working in schools, big change in schedule, much busierCelebrate the festivities on the days not for the whole monthNot labelling Halloween/thanksgiving/Xmas food as thatWhat are some non-food activities you could do?Is it a hell yes? Do you need pumpkin spice lattes for the whole of autumn?!Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Substance addition - more traditional idea of addiction to a substance that causes a physiological addiction (that's not to say there aren't behavioural elements). Often mind-altering substances.Behavioural addiction - behaviours that impact the rewards centres of the brain, such as gambling, binge eating, sex, shopping, gaming, exercise, cosmetic surgery, watching porn, risky behaviours.The current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th Edition (DSM-IV-TR) has designated formal diagnostic criteria for several of these disorders, classifying them as impulse control disorders, a separate category from substance use disorders. Other behaviors (or impulse control disorders) have been included in DSM-IV DSM – gambling, kleptomania, internet gaming disorder, internet addiction, food addiction, hypersexuality, shopping addiction, exercise addiction, and tanning addiction.Behavioural addictions have more than tripled in the last decade while substance abuse has remained relatively stable over the last 20 years. This also correlates with the widespread use of social media (correlation not causation!)Phones - one click on Amazon prime, a few clicks to online porn, a few clicks to takeaway orders, a few clicks to place an online bet…Signs of behavioural addiction:* Spending the majority of your time engaging in the behavior, thinking about or arranging to engage in the behavior, or recovering from the effects* Becoming dependent on the behavior as a way to cope with emotions and to “feel normal”* Continuing despite physical and/or mental harm* Having trouble cutting back despite wanting to stop* Neglecting work, school, or family to engage in the behavior more often* Experiencing symptoms of withdrawal (for example, depression or irritability) when trying to stop* Minimizing or hiding the extent of the problemGambling - Johnson & Dixon (2009) used a response cost to reduce gambling behaviours in pathological gamblers by getting the participants to pay to gamble (or have the dealer perform the response for free). Only partially successful. To me this makes sense. To gamble, you have to pay?!Dixon, Marley & Jacobs (2003) found through multiple measures of delay discounting indicated that gamblers discounted delayed rewards (1 week later) more steeply than did control participants. SO maybe casinos/online gambling forums should deliver rewards one week/month/year later?Interestingly, there have also been behavioural interventions for substance abuse disorders, such as alcoholism and heroin use published in JABA.Personal use?- Baseline data- Social validity- Determine intervention- Take dataRef:Johnson, T.E. and Dixon, M.R. (2009), ALTERING RESPONSE CHAINS IN PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLERS USING A RESPONSE-COST PROCEDURE. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42: 735-740.Dixon, M.R., Marley, J. and Jacobs, E.A. (2003), DELAY DISCOUNTING BY PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLERS. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36: 449-458.Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services.

This week, we answer client questions!What is the strongest behavioural contingency?* Positive reinforcement, the faster it's delivered after the behaviour, the stronger the effect.* Temporal discounting can weaken behaviours/habits* Individuality? Interesting research?* Escape maintained behaviour - e.g. not missing a gym class, avoiding social disapproval- Diet and exercise - avoiding future ill health and feeling discomfort- Work ethic - avoiding homelessness, peer judgement- Teeth brushing - avoiding poor dental health* What kind of reinforcement people prefer is also individual. Personally, a lot of my reinforcers are automatic - I like endorphins from exercise, cuddles (from Jim!), food… but I'm not strongly reinforced by most tangible reinforcers.Creatine - what is it?* Other than protein powder, it's probably the most researched supplement* No published literature supporting it being unsafe in any way* But… anyone with underlying health conditions, especially liver and kidney, children and pregnant should talk to their doctor first.* Our bodies make their own creatine, in your kidney and liver, after you eat protein. Animal protein, like meat and fish, contain creatine, but you'd need to eat a HUGE amount to get as much creatine as supplements give.* Creatine increases the body's ability to produce energy rapidly. Creatine exists naturally in our bodies and helps fuel our muscles, which is why some people take it as a supplement to boost their performance in the gym.* Your muscles convert creatine into creatine phosphate, which is then converted into adenosine triphosphate (ATC), which your body uses for explosive exercise.* It's not an either or - you can't replace other protein intake with creatine - they work in different ways. Creatine fuels strength in workouts, protein fuels muscle protein repair/synthesis.* Cognitive performance* When you start to take it, you'll put on weight - it's just water - but that'll make your muscles look bigger. So… you also need to make sure you're drinking enough water.* Like we mentioned on last week's episode, how people respond to supplements is very individual and partially genetic. Not everyone will respond in the same way.* Take data on it! Does your training volume increase? Weight increase? Other effects?* It doesn't work without working out!* Minimal calories so won't cause fat gain.* Lots of different types - creatine monohydrate is what is typically studied and is the cheapest - you don't need the ones with bells and whistles - they probably won't do what they're claiming to do.* When starting, some people have digestive issues - gas, bloating etc.* 5g per day, every dayI've been doing pushups on my knees for FOREVER and can't seem to progress to ‘proper' pushups. Other progression ideas? Will chest press help?Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Insider secrets or simply lesser known facts... We cover some topics that have come uop with clients recently.Superfoods are nonsense - The term ‘superfood' is unregulated and doesn't mean anything (note: same with the word ‘natural').- Well known superfoods = blueberries, goji berries- 100 calories worth of goji berries will give you 250% of your RDA vitamin c. 100 calories worth of broccoli will give you 429% of your RDA vitamin c. It'll also cost a fraction of the price.Supplements are white labelled - they all come from the same factory- A lot of supplements aren't FDA approved.- All foods and drugs affect different people in different ways. For example, in contraceptives, there are genetic factors with how many oestrogen receptors you have and how much water you retain. Cheaper foods- Dried beans/lentils - typically at least half the price than buying canned- Frozen or canned fruit and vegetables are often cheaper, particularly out of season but often fresher and with equal or more nutrients.Freezing food doesn't make it last forever. Fat content does.- You know the ziplock bags that have writing on them and a place for you to write the content and the date. Yeah, that's for a good reason.You don't need to cleanse. Your liver does everything cleanse-y you need it to do without any special help.Movement:You have to workout for several hours per day several times per weekHeadlines such as "7-minute Abs" and "You only need to exercise for "11 minutes per dayhttps://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/professional/expert-articles/7750/exercise-for-only-11-minutes-a-day-a-case-study-in-misrepresenting-the-science/?topicScope=exercise-scienceYou need to do crunches and sit ups to get absWalking on the treadmill is a good warm up for strength trainingA certain time of day is better to workoutCardio equipment machines don't accurately report calorie burnSpot training to lose fat.....DOESN"T WORK!!!!Sweating means you're burning fat.....nope, your body is regulating it's temperatureConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Nick Jolly is not only one of the nicest people you'll ever meet, a superb personal trainer but he also has a superpower. In this episode, he talks to us about his journey with ADHD and how he sees it as his superpower.* Nick talks aboiut his journey to getting to where his is today and what inspired him to become a PT.* ADHD as a superpower* How Nick manages his own behaviour and what strategies he has in place to work towards his goals.* What would Nick like to be able to go back and tell himself as a child.* How we can all work towards the world should be more accepting of neurodiversity.* Nick Jolly in 10 years time - what's he up to?

Why is it that so often we know what we SHOULD do but can't actually DO it?1. Values - is the goal truly one of your values?2. Do you value yourself enough? An example of this might be paying for therapy. When someone is feeling at their absolute worst, it's the time they most need someone to talk to and yet is the time they are least likely to want to invest in themselves.3. Have you identified how hard you're willing to work OR how long you're willing to wait to achieve the goal?4. How are you setting up your environment?5. How are you altering your MOs?6. Aversive settings? Change is HARD initially, you're disrupting status quo.7. If the ultimate goal is delayed, are you planning for shorter term reinforcement?8. Have you considered competing contingencies?9. Delayed reinforcers - what we know from the research10. Concept of ‘future self'11. What have you reinforced in the past - the idea that you stick to your goals or you give up on yourself?Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Taken from the National Eating Disorders website:Body image is how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind. It encompasses:* What you believe about your own appearance (including your memories, assumptions, and generalizations).* How you feel about your body, including your height, shape, and weight.* How you sense and control your body as you move.  How you physically experience or feel in your body. Many of us internalize messages starting at a young age that can lead to either positive or negative body image. Having a healthy body image is an important part of mental wellbeing and eating disorders prevention.62% of women feel negatively about their body image compared with 53% of men. 57% of those who don't identify with either as a man or a woman reported feeling negatively about their body image most of the timeNot linked to body size / weight loss - weight loss is actually linked to poorer body confidence Is fluctuatingIs separate from self esteemNot linked to objective beauty - eg models are the least confidentPeople with good body image also have bad daysAlso have a strong filter for when they hear negative comments/thoughtsAlso tend to have good media literacy - know that what they see isn't necessarily trueHaven't always had positive body imageHave good role models (who don't necessarily look how they'd want to look!)What's the antecedents:* Is it weighing yourself? Reduce or stop OR increase and break association* Body checking - self monitor to reduce* Curate your inputsReframe it: * I have excess energy stores* “We don't do that anymore”* I'm strongNegative self talk - what's the function?* Negative self talk to others - we may be reinforced by others telling us otherwise - “No, you look great!”* Our own responses to negative self talk - comfort ourselves with food / alcohol / bath etc* Our own responses to negative self talk - escape the hard - by telling yourself you can't / you're worthless, what are you avoiding?Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Are you a long distance runner, cyclist, triathlete or hiker? Do you know how to fuel and hydrate properly for long duration (90+ minutes) activities?**Note** Emily is certified is Sports Nutrition but this is not her primary focus! Thank you to one of our listeners for reaching out and asking this question in our Behave Yourself Podcast Facebook Group!Use schedules, such as fixed intervals to consistently take on nutritionCollect data and track how you feel over time based on the types of foods and liquidsThis is an ongoing process that even pro-athletes are still trying to figure out for themselves! To calculate your sweat rate:https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/how-to-calculate-your-sweat-rate/Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emilyamacraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Facebook group member questions!Most exercises are based on a few basic movements - what are those basic movements that we should incorporate into our exercise practice?What would be the differences in a workout where you are looking to tone up versus build muscle?How to promote heathy snacks and treats as most friends seem to think cake is the answer to everything. I've read so much about diabetes and pre- diabetes. How do we change our apparent food culture of carrying on and eating cake?Healthy substitutions (I.e., when snacking, preparing meals, ordering at a restaurant), how to eat healthy at a restaurant (substitutions, portion sizes, etc), when reading labels what are some things to be on the lookout for (consume in moderation or consume more of)Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Erin comes back to continue discussing time management and her excellent tips for how to best manage your time.Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, Erin Conant discusses values, goals, mistakes, error corrections and her doctorate. She deep dives into time management and how to manage your own time to live a value driven life and achieve your goals.You can find more from Erin on Instagram @erinconantConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Dissertation: Analysis of one structured fitness motivation intervention on self-efficacy, achievement goal orientations, and exercise adherence in sedentary and moderately active adults. -Motivation and variables that affect behavior-Perception of Competence: task-oriented vs. ego-orientedAssessments: Self-Efficacy Scale for Physical AppearanceAchievement Goal-Orientation ScaleInterventions used:Goal Setting- 1st 3 mins of each session (group goals for class)Public Posting- poster in workout room, participant effort reviewedPeer Feedback- paired up and asked to motivate/push each other, correct formAttendance Criteria and Active Participation Criteria (5pt likert scale)3 x 50min/week- structured group classes for 9 weeksUsed a reversal design: ABACADA- A- baseline-B- Goal setting- every participant had this phase first since they were all novice exercisers-C/D- varied per group - Public Posting and Peer FeedbackResults- Peer Feedback was the most effective at decreasing absences and increasing active participation- participants were overall satisfied with the process. https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3660&context=rtdsConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

In this episode, we discuss Bosch, Miltenberger, Gross, Knudson & Brower Breitwieser (2008) Evaluation of extinction as a functional treatment for binge eating. Behavior Modification, 32, 4 (556-576).We talk about:- What the researchers did- Their findings- Their conclusions- The behaviour analytic principles considered- Real world application- Binge eating and potential other factors at playConnect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

The UK has recently passed legislation to force all large business to display calorie information on menus and food labels from April 2022. These rules are intended to help the public to make healthier choices when eating out. But... do they work?Is it a good idea?- 35 million people in the UK are estimated to be overweight or obese (64%).- Could help individuals trying to eat a calorie controlled diet be more informed Is it a bad idea?- Concerns about those with eating disorders.- It's only calories – not fibre, protein, micronutrients etc and simple calorie comparison means nothing – a chocolate bar has fewer calories than a meal with steak, greens and lentils.- Could give a false sense of ‘health' to some – e.g. I've only eaten 500kcals at this meal… - It doesn't teach people anything.- There's more to obesity than calories in, calories out in restaurants.Will it actually help?The research suggests not. Petimar et al (2019) study. After labeling implementation, a level decrease was observed of 60 calories/transaction followed by an increasing trend of 0.71 calories/transaction/week. Also see Cochrane reviews.Why?- Are the diners attending to the information?- Do they understand what calories are?- Do the habituate to the information and no longer attend to it?- Values driving those actions?- Understanding of calories and weight.- Function of eating at restaurants – not for calorie control but pleasure.What to do?- Consider your values…- Decide on what your goals are - Consider how often you eat out. - Is this legislation probably intended for you?- What should the government actually do? Do public health initiatives work in general?- Smoking ban – in 2007 smoking in enclosed spaces became illegal in Britain. In 2006, 22% of adults smoked. 14% in 2019.- Soft drinks industry levy (sugar tax) – manufacturers had to pay a tax for soft drinks with more than 8g of sugar per serving. Forced product reformulation.- Minimum unit pricing (MUP) on alcohol in Scotland. The proportion of people with alcohol dependence typically drinking alcohol reduced substantially, from about 6 out of 10 people before MUP, to about 1 in 10 after MUP was introduced.- Traffic light labelling system - introduced in 2014 - designed to give consumers an immediate idea as to whether something is healthy. The research shows it to be ineffective (Sacks, Rayner, Swinburn, 2009).References:Petimar J, Zhang F, Cleveland LP, Simon D, Gortmaker SL, Polacsek M, Bleich SN, Rimm EB, Roberto CA, Block JP. Estimating the effect of calorie menu labeling on calories purchased in a large restaurant franchise in the southern United States: quasi-experimental study. BMJ. 2019 Oct 30.McGeown L. (2019). The calorie counter-intuitive effect of restaurant menu calorie labelling. Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique, 110(6), 816–820.Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Definition: “Burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment that can occur among individuals who work with people in some capacity” (Maslach, Jackson, & Leiter, 1996, p4)Contributory factors to burnout:Workload - Task demands / task avoidance?Control - Synthesised contingencies?Reward - Thin schedule of reinforcement?Community - Social reinforcers, group contingencies?Fairness - Comparing individual reinforcers compared to own?Values – MOs?We discuss burnout with exercise, food and weight loss.Burnout in ABA:1) Julie Slowiak – self care2) Camille Plantiveau, Katerina Dounavi & Javier Virués-Ortega (2018): High levels of burnout among early-career board-certified behavior analysts with low collegial support in the work environment, European Journal of Behavior Analysis, DOI: 10.1080/15021149.2018.1438339

We are THRILLED to talk to Dr Zoe Lucock about her work in behavioural gerontology!Zoe is a BCBA-D with a PhD in behavioural gerontology. Her research and clinical practice focuses on the functional assessment of problem behaviour shown by adults with dementia and finding alternative methods of giving adults with dementia choice over their care, particularly for those who no longer have the ability to communicate through language. She is committed to using evidence-based methods to improve the quality of life of both older adults and their caregivers. Zoe has many scientific publications in reputable behaviour-analytic journals based on her work with adults with dementia and adults with intellectual disabilities and dementia in care homes.Zoe is one of two directs of PACT - positive axing consultancy and training, who provide high quality behavioural service provision for older adults in the UK. They also provide CEU training, including on-demand content on their website.Behavioural gerontology - what is it?Make it real… what are some of the most relatable applications you've seen/implemented?How did you get into it?Behaviourally… what do you want your younger self to know to prepare for a wonderful older age?I'd encourage all BCBAs to look up PACT, but particularly those interested in learning more about behavioural gerontology to visit PACTs website where there is a free workbook on how to move into behavioural gerontology.You can find more from Zoë at https://www.positiveageingconsultancy.co.uk/ Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Dr Aishah is a pediatric doctor, qualified personal trainer, weight loss coach and new mum AND currently training to be a neurolinguistic programmer! She lives and works in Leicester and London in the UK. She helps busy professional women to lose weight without following fad diets or taking magic pills, helping them to take control of their life and health so they can feel comfortable and confident in their skin.We talked about what led Aishah to follow this pathway, what she sees her clients struggle with the most, how society and social media affect women and health and generally geek out about all things health and nutrition!Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

As always, we love our listeners and your questions! Today we shared our favorite IG accounts and if we left someone off the list, it's because we could probably go on for way too long about the awesome connections that we've made through instagram, including each other!We provide some tips for self-management from a Facebook member questionFinally, we went on a bit of a feminist rant #sorrynotsorry!If you have a question for us, please don't hesitate to reach out! We love doing Q&A espisodes and based on our stats, our listeners do too! Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services. 

Should we exercise just to lose weight??There are SO MANY other reasons to exerciseThe usual suspects:overall health and well-beingsocial reinforcers- friendsit's funimproves moodboosts energyimproves sleepenhance sex lifeWhat about memory? Cognitive functioning? Reasoning?Take a listen and then evaluate your values and motivation behind your exercise/fitness goals!Connect with Us!If you have any questions, comments, concerns or topics that you would like us to cover, please reach out to us! FacebookBehave Yourself Podcast (private group)Instagram:instagram.com/emily.a.macraeinstagram.com/thebehaviourladyinstagram.com/behaveyourselfpodEmail:behaveyourselfpod@gmail.comDisclaimer: While we're both behaviour analysts and qualified in our respective fields, this podcast is for education and information sharing only and should not be taken as personal, medical or behavioral advice or services.