The protocol, and the evidence behind each rule
TATSERRUN [Tactical Serotonin Run] is a behaviour-first protocol built on one premise: losing weight gets dramatically easier once you remove the high-intensity dopamine spikes — ultra-processed food, alcohol, algorithmic feeds — that drive cravings, wreck sleep, and make staying in a deficit take constant effort.
Duration
30 days per person
Phase I
7-day hard reset
Phase II
21-day calibration
Mechanism of action
Dopamine marks behaviours as worth repeating. It rises both at the reward and in anticipation of it, and in doing so it shapes attention, cravings and habits. Constant high-intensity input makes ordinary life — simple food, a walk, an early night — feel flat, so ordinary life starts to require willpower.
Reduce the spikes and the baseline resets. The brain starts finding satisfaction in the behaviours that move you forward. That is the whole foundation: your target weight becomes a by-product of an identity, because those actions now genuinely feel rewarding.
The hypothesis
When the reward system is hit constantly with intense stimuli, normal behaviours feel boring and cost willpower. Remove the spikes for long enough and, in our experience:
- •Cravings drop
- •Mental clarity improves
- •Whole food becomes genuinely satisfying
- •Staying in a deficit stops taking effort
- •The identity moves from "I am dieting" to "this is just what I do"
Who it is for
- You carry more weight than you are comfortable with
- No current or past severe eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia)
- You can commit to 30 minutes of outdoor movement a day
- You are willing to drop social media for the first 7 days
Phase I — the 7-day hard reset
The goal: cut the biggest craving drivers fast, and steady your attention and sleep.
Digital detox
No social media
No ultra-processed food
No sweets, no fizzy drinks, no junk
No alcohol
Complete, for the whole week
30 minutes outdoors
Every day, non-negotiable
Phase II — 21 days of calibration
The goal: build defaults that hold on their own, without tracking fatigue.
No alcohol for the full 30 days
Continues from Phase I
Daily outdoor movement
Kept from Phase I
Cook three meals a day
No scales — portions judged by eye
Controlled digital input
Food content out of the feed
The daily log (3 minutes)
Required
Weight
Morning, after the bathroom
Craving intensity
Scale of 1–5
Mental clarity
Scale of 1–5
Movement
Yes/no — 30 minutes outdoors
Triggers avoided
Yes/no — sugar, junk food, alcohol
Optional, high leverage
Sleep
Hours, plus quality on 1–5
The evidence base
Each rule below is linked to research that supports its direction. This is not a claim that TATSERRUN as a whole package is clinically proven — it is not. Each lever has evidence behind it, and the package itself has been tested by two people: Alex and his mother.
1) Ultra-processed food → overeating and worse weight outcomes
What the research suggests
In tightly controlled feeding studies, ultra-processed diets increased energy intake and led to weight gain compared with minimally processed ones, even when the foods were matched on many nutrients. The mechanisms discussed include higher energy density, faster eating, and altered satiety signalling.
How it supports the protocol
Removing ultra-processed food removes one of the main drivers of eating past fullness without noticing.
2) Alcohol → empty calories, weaker appetite control, less fat oxidation
What the research suggests
Alcohol carries substantial calories and can increase both appetite and impulsive eating. Metabolically, ethanol intake can reduce lipid oxidation — fat burning — across 24 hours.
How it supports the protocol
Cutting alcohol removes a reliable derailer of both adherence and fat loss.
3) Digital overstimulation → attention, mood, sleep, self-regulation
What the research suggests
Trials and reviews of screen-time reduction and digital detox interventions show improvements in mental health, stress, sleep quality and wellbeing. The size of the effect varies considerably between studies.
How it supports the protocol
Better attention and better sleep mean fewer cravings, and more follow-through on the cooking and the walking.
4) Morning light and outdoor movement → circadian alignment
What the research suggests
The timing of light exposure is a core circadian cue. Morning daylight can advance the circadian phase, while blue light late in the evening delays it.
How it supports the protocol
A consistent morning walk is a keystone habit: it improves sleep timing, mood, and appetite regulation at once.
5) Daily self-monitoring → better adherence
What the research suggests
Across behavioural weight-loss research, self-monitoring is consistently associated with better outcomes.
How it supports the protocol
A minimal daily log keeps attention on the process without tipping into tracking fatigue.
Safety
If you have a history of eating disorders, are pregnant, or have a medical condition that requires supervised eating, talk to a doctor before starting any restrictive protocol.
If you notice severe mood changes, obsessive tracking, or a binge-and-restrict cycle, stop and seek professional support.
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