The science of self-discipline

2 mins to read

The strength of your self-discipline can impact on many aspects of health, including weight control. Weight loss coach Andrew Cate looks at some proven tips to help strengthen your resolve.

Weight management

How is will power and self discipline connected to weight?
It's human nature to experience a strong desire to satisfy immediate urges, temptations and emotions.

Your ability to self-regulate and overcome impulses, such as the urge to overeat or drink too much alcohol, will have a significant impact on weight control.

The strength you can demonstrate when resisting temptations and delaying, limiting or abstaining from unhealthy yet seemingly desirable choices will play a role in determining your success at weight loss. It could also be said that one factor that is responsible for the storage of excess body fat is lapses in self control and failure in self-regulation.

Developing a better understanding of self-discipline may be helpful so you can harness it to your benefit.

The research
One popular theory put forward in the research into self-regulation and willpower is the strength model, which suggests self-control is a finite resource, and can become vulnerable and depleted over time.

A review of 83 studies, published in the Psychological Bulletin, tested the effect of impaired self-control on task performance.

The researchers uncovered a significant overall effect, giving substance to the strength model of self control. It was clear that tasks performance dropped in line with increased perceptions of fatigue, difficulty, and effort.

From a practical point of view, the researchers conclude that regular practice on self-control tasks, and strategies that increase motivation may improve your capacity to be self-disciplined.

How to boost your self-discipline
Will power and self-discipline can be compared to your muscles. Regular practice and training can boost your self-discipline, just as muscle workouts increase strength and endurance.

Overuse of self-discipline can cause fatigue and poor performance, as will overtraining your muscles.

In addition, rest and recuperation can regenerate self-control, just as a muscle’s strength returns after a period of rest.

Try these tips to exercise and improve your self-discipline "muscles".

Identify your weaknesses - What specific actions or behaviours do you want to stop (or start)? In what areas of your lifestyle has self-discipline let you down in the past? If self discipline is finite, it will help to focus your energy where it's needed most.
Take small steps - Try to work on only one or two things at the one time. Don't overwhelm yourself with too many changes at challenges at once; otherwise you may be spreading your self-discipline too thin.
Change the environment - Change your surroundings to support yourself better. For example, if you identify eating too much chocolate as an area where self-discipline has let you down in the past, make chocolate hard to get to. Don't bring it home from the shops, and don't have it in your desk at work.
Reward yourself - If you've been successful at demonstrating self control in an area that has been challenging in the past, recognise it. It will strengthen your resolve in the future. Just make sure to reward yourself with something that doesn't undermine your good work.
Seek help - Prop up your support system with newsletter subscriptions, online communities, training partners and health professionals such as a personal trainer or naturopath. External support may help to lift your self-discipline when it's running low.