drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
If consistency is the key to fitness, then what’s the key to consistency? One study found that the most consistent people always go to the gym at the same time. But what's the foundational trait that really sets fit people apart from the unfit? Answer: self control. They have the self control to not skip workouts and not eat buckets of sugar. Delayed gratification. So, can you strengthen your self-control muscle? •
Two studies concluded that the more discipline and self-restraint you display in one area of your life, the more likely that effect will spill over into other areas. Participants who took part in an exercise program increased their ability to delay gratification. Just by exercising regularly for 2 months, they were better able to control themselves and put off immediate pleasures so they could get a greater reward in the future. Exercise alters the parts of the brain that involve decision making and higher-level thinking. Get those portions of your brain more "athletic" and you'll also improve impulse control. Boost that and you'll be able to resist the free donuts at work.
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What This Means to You: If you're one of those people who thinks she has to diet and lose fat BEFORE joining a gym, realize there's a behavioral crossover effect. Just starting an exercise program will make you a more in-control dieter. You probably exercise regularly already, but you still may have trouble delaying gratification and controlling yourself around food. The solution might be to tighten up and improve your workout planning.
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Maybe you're the guy who walks into the gym a few random days every week and then decides what body parts he's going to train. You'd reap more benefits by having a set workout program: the days you train, the time you go, the exercises you do, and how you progress from week to week. You’ll experience a spillover effect: the more control/discipline you exhibit in the gym, the more self-control you'll experience in the kitchen. Control your eating and you'll build workout consistency. Control your workout consistency and you'll build healthier, more consistent eating habits.
Two studies concluded that the more discipline and self-restraint you display in one area of your life, the more likely that effect will spill over into other areas. Participants who took part in an exercise program increased their ability to delay gratification. Just by exercising regularly for 2 months, they were better able to control themselves and put off immediate pleasures so they could get a greater reward in the future. Exercise alters the parts of the brain that involve decision making and higher-level thinking. Get those portions of your brain more "athletic" and you'll also improve impulse control. Boost that and you'll be able to resist the free donuts at work.
•
What This Means to You: If you're one of those people who thinks she has to diet and lose fat BEFORE joining a gym, realize there's a behavioral crossover effect. Just starting an exercise program will make you a more in-control dieter. You probably exercise regularly already, but you still may have trouble delaying gratification and controlling yourself around food. The solution might be to tighten up and improve your workout planning.
•
Maybe you're the guy who walks into the gym a few random days every week and then decides what body parts he's going to train. You'd reap more benefits by having a set workout program: the days you train, the time you go, the exercises you do, and how you progress from week to week. You’ll experience a spillover effect: the more control/discipline you exhibit in the gym, the more self-control you'll experience in the kitchen. Control your eating and you'll build workout consistency. Control your workout consistency and you'll build healthier, more consistent eating habits.
