Check out our Diet Reviews on AOL Health!

self-control-related stories

Willpower Is a Muscle

Jonny's Take

Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life.

ice cream cone

Photo: Getty Images

Ever wonder why it's so easy to succumb to the lure of a Krispy Kreme on days when you're really stressed?

Scientists are beginning to discover that there's a method to the madness of overindulging. And that key may explain a great deal about both overeating and under-exercising.

Emerging research is suggesting that willpower and self-control may be a limited resource. When we use it up on a given day -- say, by concentrating intensely on a stressful job -- we have less left over to "spend" on things like resisting Häagen-Dazs.

Leave the last bite

Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements

Are you a plate cleaner? If no one's lurking around do you lift your plate and lick the last thin sheen of pancake syrup? That pretty much describes this plate scraper. My sweet tooth is not fluent in self-control either -- however it is learning key phrases such as "No!" and "Close the cabinet and walk away. Now."

But I have one friend who always, always leaves one or two bites on her plate. She's lean, too. She's not big into fitness so it's either decent genetics or her eating habits or a combination thereof that delivers her lean frame. Regardless, this plate cleaner admires her natural self-control.

Fitness magazine's 10 Ways to Lose 10 Pounds shares commonsense advice to reduce your caloric intake and boost your metabolism. In their tip "Eat Three Fewer Bites Per Day" simply leave one generous bite of your breakfast, lunch and dinner on your plate to save 50 to 75 calories per day. You'll drop ten pounds in only five to eight months. Remember, this doesn't mean take two muffins and leave one bite of muffin #2! Us plate cleaners know all the tricks.

Source

Featured Writers
Bob GreeneReggie Casagrande
Bob Greene
Jonny BowdenJohn GanonJonny Bowden

Tanya ZuckerbrotFadil BerishaTanya Zuckerbrot
Liz Neporent Liz Neporent