"It's not willpower. It's wiring."
Peter teams up with behavioral science expert Amy Bukszpan to crack open the psychological science behind human behavior when combined with Human physiology around food and addiction.
Amy breaks it down simply and clearly: every behavior we have—whether it's reaching for a handful of peanut M&Ms or dragging ourselves out of bed for coffee—follows a pattern of Antecedent → Behavior → Consequence. This structure, rooted in behavioral science, helps explain why we do what we do and how to create sustainable change without relying solely on willpower.Peter and Amy dig deep into how these behavioral loops are metabolically leveraged in the case of carbohydrates and result in sugar addiction. The duo emphasizes that this isn’t just a matter of bad choices or weak resolve—it’s about deeply ingrained physiological and psychological reinforcements.
What’s more, they share a powerful strategy for change: the functionally equivalent response. Instead of trying to "just say no" to carbs, find alternative choices that serve the same function—whether it’s a nutrient-dense food that satisfies the same craving or a new habit that re-conditions your brain’s reward loop.
You’ll walk away from this conversation not just with insight—but with tools. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being informed and taking steps that make change feel possible.“
When we change the consequence, we can change the behavior.
Amy Bukszpan
🔁 In Summary
This clip explores the foundations of human behavior and how understanding the “ABCs” of action (Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence) can help reshape the way we approach nutrition, addiction, and lifestyle change. By replacing behaviors with functionally equivalent responses, we don’t fight our nature—we work with it. This grounded approach combined with understanding how our foundational physiology has been corrupted to produce a physiological dependency on carbohydrates provides a pathway out of a cycle of addiction and empowers lasting transformation.
