Comment by titanomachy

Comment by titanomachy 2 months ago

3 replies

> Willpower is not a muscle, it's a well that fill doing what you enjoy, and clear when used.

I won't negate your experience, since this is such a personal thing, and it's not like we have a rigorous scientific understanding of these things. But to me, willpower does feel like a trainable thing. Doing hard things seems to make me better at doing other hard things. Limiting my TV makes me less likely to compulsively eat later. Working out hard makes me less likely to lie in bed scrolling on my phone. Doing hard coursework makes me more focused at work.

The caveat is that these changes seem to happen pretty gradually, and the gains can be lost pretty easily, just like with muscle.

But being in a perpetual caloric deficit can be pretty rough and can definitely sap your energy. Glad you found your way to a healthier weight.

stavros 2 months ago

It's different per thing. Yes, working out gives me energy (even though I hate it and am bored out of my mind doing it), but going hungry or resisting food isn't the same kind of thing. If I had a bad day at work, I'll usually go "fuck it" and eat a pizza. If I've gone hungry all day because I'm eating what I should, I'll be cranky and not as much fun.

I can definitely relate with the GP, even though your comment is relatable too. They're just different mechanisms, or they apply differently to different people.

  • titanomachy 2 months ago

    Tangential to the discussion, but I'd encourage you to not give up trying to find a form of exercise that you don't find boring. It makes it much easier to get adequate exercise. Also, not having to spend time doing things you hate is nice.

    For example, personally I find lifting in the gym or running on the treadmill to be quite boring. I like biking and running outside, especially on trails. A lot of people enjoy group classes like crossfit or yoga, since the social reinforcement can make it psychologically a lot easier.

    Καλή τύχη.

    • stavros 2 months ago

      Yeah, I (try to) cycle and play tennis, but due to some circumstances both are less frequent than I'd like. You need to lift weights too, though, to build and maintain muscle, so there's no getting out of that. I'll definitely need to do more cardio, though.

      Thanks!