Weekly Health Challenge: Serve with a Side of Self-Control

Hello dear readers!

Again, I apologize for my severe lacking-ness of blog postings.  However, I'm trying my best.  I also now have to write this blog for part of an independent study class, so postings will come more frequently!  Hopefully.  That's always the hope.  Speaking of hope, I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July and remembered some of my very valuable health tips on that day! ; ) 

I know I have new readers now, so for those of you who are new - I'll quick introduce myself again.  My name is Samantha, I work in endocrinology/diabetes/nutrition research at the Mayo Clinic.  This blog is not endorsed by the Mayo Clinic in any way - but I just post about what I learn, read, discover, ect.  I've taken numerous nutrition classes, health classes, read scientific journals regularly, do research on obesity, and more.  So I take what I learn - and translate it into fun, readable material.  My passion is health and wellness.  If you have questions please post in the Q&A section - I plan to answer those on a weekly basis.  I'll be posting a new recipe, oddball workout, and more today so look for those!  Please feel free to email me if you have private questions or would like me to perform a diet analysis on what you are eating!  Enjoy!

On to today's quick posting!

Self-Control, Please!



To put it really simply, our culture has a self-control issue.  A big one.  Self-control is probably one of the largest factors in controlling weight issues.  The idea that we just have to have it or we deserve it or we can't survive without it leads to over eating. 

Challenge:  Every time you eat this week, whether it be a meal or a snack, exercise a small amount of conscious self-control. 

How to do it: At every meal, either skip out on taking something, or leave something behind on the plate.  Some of the things I've done include: asking for no bun with my hamburger at restaurants, skip out on a second helping of mashed potatoes on holidays, having a water before pop rule (must consume a gallon of water in a day before I can have a can of soda - when I used to drink soda), not using salt on my veggies, having the waitress box up 1/2 of the pasta dish before I get it, passing up croutons on my salad, exchanging ranch dressing for vinaigrette, using less condiments on my foods, passing up white breads whenever possible, and the list goes on.....  

Write it on your hand every morning if you have to.  Write it on a post-it note at your desk, at the fridge, on your bathroom mirror.  Whatever it takes.  Make it your mantra this week: Self-Control, Self-Control, Self-Control! 

Choose happiness, choose self-control.  The more that you make small self-control decisions, the more "power" you will gain over your body.  That sounds odd, and slightly creepy but its true.  Start making small decisions and eventually you'll be able to say no to those Special-K bars all together (still working on this one...these are my personal weakness). 

But start little.  When you are training for a marathon, you don't run 26 miles on day one.  You start with one, or even half of a mile, and build your way up.  Same with this.  Start little, build up.  But know that the goal is attainable, and is not out of reach. 

Stay tuned.