So I decided to try continue my reverse new years resolution (where I worked out everyday from Thanksgiving to New Year's) past New Year's. I will allow days off where I cannot fit a gym trip, but for the most part I will be going everyday. At least until I lose too much weight. So far I only missed two days since I got back from Florida. The question now is: how to maintain the willpower to exercise?
The New York Times put out an article suggesting that the foods you eat may affect the level of willpower you have. Basically, restoring glucose levels appears to replenish self-control. In an experiment, people who had sugar water were able to better control their actions than those who did not have sugar water. The article goes on to explain the relevance of these findings to diet and exercise:
Consuming sugary drinks or snacks isn’t practical advice for a dieter struggling with willpower. However, the research does help explain why dieters who eat several small meals a day appear to do better at sticking to a diet than dieters who skip meals. “You need the energy from food to have the willpower to exert self-control in order to succeed on your diet,'’ said Dr. Baumeister.
Well, I guess this means I should snack more often before the gym. Yum!
Boost Your Willpower With a Bite to Eat [Lifehacker]
