How to Use Tricks to Increase Willpower and Eat Less

Make a fist., Raise up on your toes., Grip your pen tightly., Care about your health.

4 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Make a fist.

    Squeeze your fist harder to resist overeating or choosing wrongly.

    In a recent study, squeezing muscles at the moment of your purposeful decision (while resisting a bad choice) seems to help people make healthier food choices., Tense the calf muscles as another way to increase determination.

    In a research experiment, people were able to drink more of a not-so-great-tasting "health tonic" when they flexed their calf muscles while imbibing.

    Of course, healthful foods don't necessarily have to taste bad., Firm up your grip and eat better.

    Researchers recently examined willpower under two conditions.

    In a study people were asked to either (1) loosely or (2) tightly grip their writing pen as they filled out the same survey while standing in line at a snack bar.

    The people with firm, tight grasps on the pen made better, healthier snack choices than those with the loose grip, seeming to translate to relaxed choices., Muscle tensing won't help much, according to this study, if you aren't caring or showing effort already.

    The tense muscle effect "only" helps those people who already had good health intentions, according to the study.

    So if eating right and becoming and staying slimmer are among your goals, plan your efforts and tense your muscles when you want to strengthen your willpower against eating too much or eating junk food.
  2. Step 2: Raise up on your toes.

  3. Step 3: Grip your pen tightly.

  4. Step 4: Care about your health.

Detailed Guide

Squeeze your fist harder to resist overeating or choosing wrongly.

In a recent study, squeezing muscles at the moment of your purposeful decision (while resisting a bad choice) seems to help people make healthier food choices., Tense the calf muscles as another way to increase determination.

In a research experiment, people were able to drink more of a not-so-great-tasting "health tonic" when they flexed their calf muscles while imbibing.

Of course, healthful foods don't necessarily have to taste bad., Firm up your grip and eat better.

Researchers recently examined willpower under two conditions.

In a study people were asked to either (1) loosely or (2) tightly grip their writing pen as they filled out the same survey while standing in line at a snack bar.

The people with firm, tight grasps on the pen made better, healthier snack choices than those with the loose grip, seeming to translate to relaxed choices., Muscle tensing won't help much, according to this study, if you aren't caring or showing effort already.

The tense muscle effect "only" helps those people who already had good health intentions, according to the study.

So if eating right and becoming and staying slimmer are among your goals, plan your efforts and tense your muscles when you want to strengthen your willpower against eating too much or eating junk food.

About the Author

K

Kevin Brooks

Brings years of experience writing about lifestyle and related subjects.

43 articles
View all articles

Rate This Guide

--
Loading...
5
0
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0

How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: