Why I Gave Up Desserts To Build Discipline

[R0b]

I'm naturally a slim guy. I'm 6'2" tall, and have been between 165 and 180 my entire adult life, depending on how much I run and lift weights. So, when I told my family I was giving up desserts for 2007, they thought I was nuts.

I'm a goal oriented person. Every year I set a new goal - run a marathon, start a side business, learn a new skill, etc. In late 2006, I noticed I was becoming less productive. Why? You know the story. I would get out my computer to type out a blog post or answer some email, and then I get a funny video someone sends me. I watch it. Then I browse youtube for 20 minutes until I catch myself and have to stop. Then someone wants to chat on IM. Then I visit digg or reddit and look at the top stories. The next thing I know, I've wasted an hour and I have only worked about 10 minutes. It's a classic lack of discipline.

So for 2007, I decided to do a test. Can discipline be exercised like a muscle? In order to do so, I had to try something very hard. I decided that, as much as I loved sweets, I would give them up for a full year.

The first two weeks were easy, but then my body started to crave them. I had dreams about donuts. People tried to tempt me to eat chocolate cake. I would pop into the convenience store next to my office for a snack, and realize there was almost nothing in the store I could buy. Sheesh. I ate a lot of junk before.

After a few months, the cravings went down. I've felt better, and had more energy. Most of all though, I've been through the most productive year of my life. My discipline has improved significantly, and I'm getting more done than ever before.

It makes sense. Our brains are basically habit-forming machines. When you do something a bunch of times, your brain internalizes it and makes it easier. By working on discipline, whatever module in my brain controls it has become stronger, and I've been better equipped to buckle down and focus when I have to.

I don't have any major revelation. I just wanted to share the story. I hope you can get something out of it.

Rob

[Akashic_Librarian]

Cool idea. Good luck

[Zukin]

Great story, Rob!

Carbohydrate cravings are normal when you first give up refined sugar products.

Now you'll live longer since you won't have the problems with inflammation and free radical damage caused by sugar.

[persephonevii]

Awesome. I don't think I could give up sweets for a year... I'd go mad if I tried. But I can relate about time-wasting on the internet, it just sucks you in so subtly and easily... it's just not funny.

[Jim11]

good job, Rob

From my experience, we need very specific targets if we want to break undesirable habits. "I will eat less dessert - maybe only on saturday's"... this kind of stuff never works for me. Like an alcoholic who is going to "just have a couple".

Cold turkey is always the only way I get anything done and stick with it.

For example... I know that I can't miss even one of the workouts in my schedule just because I'm lazy. Because if I do it once it's a slippery slope

I have rules designed to cultivate virtue and desirable habits... all made realistically so they don't have to be broken and are within my limits.

[Boreas]

Very inspirational Rob, I am struggling with self-discipline right now myself, so it is great to hear a success story.

I am going to get cracking on trying not to be so distracted by the internet, and focus on getting my life moving.

Also, I can identify with you Jim. I am a fast or feast type guy. It is easier when you don't have "little bites".