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Dr. Martin Binks is Clinical Director and CEO of Binks Behavioral Health PLLC www.DrBinks.com. He is also Assistant Consulting Professor, Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center. His professional activities include direct patient care, research, consultation services and the development of evidence-based obesity and health promotion programs for healthcare, research and corporate wellness environments.

Dr. Binks received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Fairleigh Dickenson University, trained at the Bronx VA Medical Center and completed pre and postdoctoral training in behavioral medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina. He is the former Director of Behavioral Health, Research, and New Business and Strategic Alliances at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center. Dr Binks has worked extensively in the areas of obesity, health & wellness promotion, neuropsychology, substance abuse treatment, post-traumatic stress disorder and spinal cord injury.

Binks has authored multiple research publications and the book The Duke Diet. His research interests include technology-based healthcare delivery, obesity treatment, non alcoholic fatty liver disease, and overall health promotion. He serves as a reviewer on several scientific journals and is a regular contributor to multiple health websites and media outlets.

Dr. Binks contributes to healthcare provider education through his work with students and trainees and by lecturing nationally in the areas of obesity management, health promotion and behavioral medicine. Dr Binks is currently active in several leadership positions at the national scientific organization The Obesity Society. Dr Binks also serves in an advisory position with the Army National Guard and is a member of several corporate advisory boards.

Professional Affiliations
The Obesity Society
Association Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
American Psychological Association
Society of Behavioral Medicine

Question of the Month: February 2012

Subject Making it through just one day making the right choices

Question: I get up every morning telling that this is a new day-the day I will begin to be successful losing weight and making right choices. By early afternoon each day everything falls apart and I start to constantly eat-even as I am telling myself to stop. What can I do to last through just one day at a time? I seem to be getting worse about having no will power. I have about lost all hope of losing the weight-even tho I am aware of the danger to my health.

This is a very common issue for many people. Part of the problem lies in the lack of a well-defined behaviorally specific goal. Rather than use broad terms like “successful losing weight; making right choices; willpower” I suggest you focus on our goal setting approach that is described fully within the behavioral section of the Healthy Weight Center. Often, the thing we call low motivation or faulty willpower is better described as having ill-defined or too hard to attain goals. The remedy is to focus on small, specific and attainable behavioral goals. Only add those goals that you are reasonably certain you can attain should be included at first. Once you have achieved those, build on them by adding a new one each week and in no time you will see that you are doing many new and healthy things. As confidence builds tackle some of your more challenging issues. Always be realistic and patient with the scale over time too. Think of your graphed weight as a continuous slope not individual data points. Your goal over several weeks is to see the slope of your weight graph just tip a little bit downward (imagine drawing a straight line that passes amongst the various daily individual ups and downs and indicates your general trend). Even a small shift downward in the slope of that line over time will add up.

So for example, this week decide you will weigh yourself each morning and place it on a graph. Perhaps add a specific calorie controlled breakfast (or meal replacement bar). Spend a week or two being consistent with these goals and experience that success each day. This may also lead to other successes or new goals being added. If you achieve these but still struggle with other things, the next week add another new goal designed specifically to improve the things you see as more important or damaging to your health. For example, if you seem to pile on excess calories by snacking, strive to only allow yourself specific 90 minute “meal windows” and declare all other times as non-food moments. If you eat while driving, do yourself (and everyone else on the road) a favor and declare eating and driving off-limits. Perhaps eliminating sugar sweetened beverages and adding 15 minutes each day to walk would be good goals for you. Only you know which small attainable and well-defined behavioral goals are doable and a good fit for you today. Selecting things you know you can achieve is essential – no matter how small they seem. These little things add up and build on each ot

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