Self-Control on Eating Sweets - Lab Report Example

? Self-Control on Eating Sweets (Observing Myself) Self control has been defined by psychologists as the ability that an individual should possess in order to control his or her emotions, desires and behaviors for the purpose of achieving some form of reward at a later date (Kola-Ayannowo, 2011). The term self control has also been used in the past by some psychologists to refer to an individual’s ability of self-regulation in indulging in certain activities (Kuhatschek, 2001). Self control is important for individuals who may need to control their behavior or discipline. It stops them from indulging in certain activities that may be perceived to be wrong or ill-mannered for the sake of reinforcing their discipline (Hassin, Ochsner & Trope, 2010). This paper is a self report that describes why, when, what time, where and under which circumstances my behavior of eating sweets takes place with an aim of reducing the amounts that I normally consume since it will be beneficial to me. I am twenty one years of age and have been observing my behavior of eating sweets and chocolates for the last ten days. I have realized that I normally get a craving to indulge in the behavior after consuming a normal meal usually during my lunch hour breaks which come between 2pm and 2.30 pm on every weekday. This habit usually also catches up with me especially when I am working, and this normally takes place on Thursdays and Fridays. However, this weekend I stayed at home since I would be staying with my friend who was a sweet tooth as well. We normally encourage one another to have more sweets especially when we are watching television. There are also other occasions when I have found myself getting into the habit of eating sweets and chocolates. For instance, after attending classes in the university, I normally feel drenched of all my energy and have to consume more sweets everyday on my way home. During the ten day period, I realized that I normally eat many sweets since they enable me to restore my lost energies. This especially happens when I have been very busy or when am idle and have nothing to do. My behavior has been influenced by my friends and parents since they usually provide the sweets and chocolates for me even when I am broke. However, of late I have realized that leaving the habit may become very beneficial to me in the future. This is mainly because it will help in controlling my acne levels when I grow older though it is hard to resist the urge of eating them when my metabolism goes high. The habit of eating sweets normally affects my appetite and consumption of normal and healthy foods. According to previous studies, sweets have been said to contain too much sugar and their excessive consumption may in turn make an individual fall sick in the future (Brown, 2008). There are numerous diseases that are a result of excessive consumption of sugar which include diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney, liver problems among other ailments. Most of these diseases may result in amputations or the death of an individual (Stanfield & Hui, 2003). After attaining information concerning the effects of eating a lot of sweets and chocolates that have sugars, I have resolved to remain a healthy feeder and abstain from consuming junk foods for the benefit of my future health. I have also resolved to start consuming fresh fruits and dried fruits as an alternative to eating the sweets and chocolates that I have been eating in the past. However, there are other methods that I may use in stopping my habit of eating sweets and chocolates. In order to achieve this goal, I have realized that I may have to improve on my self-control through a variety of means which will ensure I succeed if followed well. The use of physical restraints or physical aids may ensure that I quit the habit completely (Rachlin, 2004). This may be done by manipulating my environment so that I may be able to respond more easily to some situations (Law, 2010). When the need to consume sweets arises, I have resolved to consume fruits since they will provide the same sugar and sweetness that I normally attain from the goodies. Stimulus change or manipulation of the factors that lead to my indulgence in eating the sweets and chocolates could also go a long way in helping me to abstain from the behavior (Wilson, 2005). This habit has affected my feeding habits and has greatly weakened my body. The changing of stimuli may be achieved through changing some of the activities I normally indulge in like visiting some of my friends who share the behavior. The act of depriving myself of the delicacies may also help me in abstaining from the behavior (DeBruyne, Pinna and Whitney, 2011). This is because the consumption of these sweets and chocolates has destroyed my teeth making me spend a lot of money on visiting the local dentist in my home area (Brown, 2008). The manipulation of an emotional condition requires an individual who has a lot of self-control and discipline (Rachlin, 2004). The ability of an individual to have self-control may help him in abstaining from having any attached emotions in the consumption of products they previously loved (Wilson, 2005). I usually eat a lot of sweets and chocolates when with my friends watching romantic movies. In order to abstain from the consumption of these goodies I will have to stop visiting my friends and sharing the goodies with them. We have been doing these acts since we were young and not spending time with my friends would really hurt. However, with the required self-control and discipline I believe I will attain my goal of quitting the habit in the shortest possible time. The use of aversive stimulations has been suggested as an appropriate method to use when an individual desires to quit a certain behavior. These aversive stimulations may help in doing away with the behavior whenever the need arises (Goldberg, 2003). I intend to do athletics as my aversive stimulation in the near future whenever the need for consuming the sweets and chocolates arises. Running will be beneficial to my body since I will be more physically fit unlike when consuming the sweets and chocolates which may have adverse effects on my health (Brown, 2008). These actions will however require a lot of discipline and self-control to ensure that the habit becomes a part of my normal routine. Drugs that are self-administered and purchased from pharmaceutical companies may also facilitate my recovery from the habit. Their use may also require I have a lot of self-control in taking the required amounts to ease any stress that I may be encountering. I intend to use these drugs after coming from university to relieve any stress I may be having after classes. This was where I had previously assumed my previous habits of eating sweets and chocolates in large quantities. By overcoming these problems, I will be able to lead a healthier and more comfortable life. This is mainly because I will have done away with the risks of being infected by diseases like diabetes, liver and kidney problems that may be associated to the consumption of large amounts of sugars (Stanfield & Hui, 2003). The other methods that may help me to quit my behaviors are doing alternative things and punishing myself for indulging in my former habits (Kola-Ayannowo, 2011). These activities will also require that I have self-control and discipline so that I may not go back to my previous behavior once I have succeeded in abstaining from them. References Brown, J. E. (2008). Nutrition Now. London: Cengage learning. DeBruyne, L. K., Pinna, K. and Whitney, E. N. (2011). Nutrition and Diet Therapy, London: Cengage Learning. Goldberg, P. M. (2003). Become A Master Of Self-Control: Meet Melly, Her Color Is Mad. London: AuthorHouse. Hassin, R., Ochsner, K., and Trope, Y. (2010). Self Control In Society, Mind And Brain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kola-Ayannowo, A. (2011). Self-control. Abuja: Xlibris Corporation. Kuhatschek, J. (2001). Self-Control: Mastering Our Passions, London: Zondervan. Law, F. (2010). Hudson the Hippo: A Tale of Self-Control. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. Rachlin, H. (2004). The Science Of Self-Control. Harvard: Harvard University Press. Stanfield, P. S. & Hui, Y. H. (2003). Nutrition and Diet Therapy: Self-Instructional Modules. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Wilson, J. (2005). Self-Control or Life without A Master: A Short Treatise On The Rights And Wrongs Of Men. New York: Kessinger Publishing. Read More