Willpower and "Decision Fatigue"

[gpmed 623]

This New York Times article about decision fatigue, particularly it's hidden affects on willpower, really has me thinking. The idea is that each time we make a decision throughout the day, including going to the gym when we don't want to or resisting junk food, it uses mental energy and makes it harder to make a decision or resist temptation later. I've never thought about it quite this way before. I'm wondering if having a strategy for dealing with decision fatigue towards the end of the day can help us stay on track. Thoughts?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magazine/do-you-suffer-from-decision-fatigue.html?contentCollection=smarter-living&hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

[Hammer_Down 631]

If making the decisions later is difficult, make the decision earlier when your willpower is intact.

Pack lunch. Leave your wallet home and just bring your license to the gym. Never grocery shop hungry.

In terms of food, I'm the opposite of what is described: the longer i make healthy food selections (for me, that's keto) the easier it is to keep making the right selections. Cravings are nil and weight loss is a steady reward and so I have no desire or incentive to cave.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Hammer_Down

[gpmed 623]

@@Hammer_Down All good points. I think they mean how many decisions you make per day, not over long periods of time. The idea is that you rest at night and your decision-making energy is restored each morning. But I see what you mean. Auto-piloting allows us to make good choices without having to think about them. If you just go the gym every day after work, you don't get too caught up in wondering "should I go to the gym today?"

[theantichick 2,204]

This is behind what Dr. Phil and many others are saying when they advise to set your environment up for success... get the junk food out, pack your workout bag and put it in the car, plan your meals in advance, etc. If you've made the decisions ahead of time and set things up so there's no decision to be made in the moment, then you're setting yourself up for success by taking the decisions out of the moments when your willpower may be lower.

[LittleBill 2,231]

Habit and practice will go a long way to overcoming bad decision making. I'm just repeating what has already been written here, but it is worth repeating. If you don't expose yourself to bad opportunities (like lingering next to the Tastykake display in the store) you reduce the need to make decisions which will deplete your mental energy and often turn out badly.

[LittleBill 2,231]

Here's a decision fatigue story. When our girls were little, they would often badger me for permission to do something outside the norm of their regular activities. If I was tired, I would tell them I would think about it for a while and then give them a decision. They would always counter with, "You're just going to make us wait and then say no, Daddy!"

"I can say no right now if you want."

"No, no, we'll wait!"

They very often got a yes if they waited, but if they pressed the issue? NO!

[gpmed 623]

So I found the part about the role glucose plays in decision making fatigue really interesting. It helps explain why eat as few calories as possible diets fail while fuel your body with healthy foods (proteins, healthy fats and carbs) diets work.

[Montana Gal 448]

This is behind what Dr. Phil and many others are saying when they advise to set your environment up for success... get the junk food out, pack your workout bag and put it in the car, plan your meals in advance, etc. If you've made the decisions ahead of time and set things up so there's no decision to be made in the moment, then you're setting yourself up for success by taking the decisions out of the moments when your willpower may be lower.

Absolutely agree, this is what I took from the article. This is how we can apply it to our everyday bariatric lives. I make all my decisions about my lifestyle in the morning when I am not in "Decision Fatigue." Have the day's food planned out and mostly prepared, except for dinner....but I know what I am going to have. I do this with fitness goals as well. It was a good article.

[shedo82773 1,236]

Let me tell you what, our weather hasn't been too friendly the past few weeks plus I haven't felt good for the last week or so. I haven't walked for 2 weeks and now it is just so hard to get myself back out there. It is so much easier to just know that I am going regardless of all the excuses I can come up with. LOL Next week even if its still cold and wet this Lady is out there!!

[Aggiemae 739]

I find that my decision making process is best when I am not home hungry so I make sure I don't get hungry. One of the best skills I developed during my pre op phase is the ability to make a mistake and get right back into n track.

In the past if I was trying to lose weight and ate something I shouldn't (for example half of a cheese cake) I would decide that the whole day was a wash so I might as well eat a couple of burgers and some sweet potato fries and start greasy in the morning.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[shedo82773 1,236]

Aggiemae you sound just like me!! I always thought WHAT THE H*** I already blew it. I know with my RNY I don't have enough room to keep on eating. LOL