Goodness, have you just proved to yourself what I said 50 pages ago?
Willpower is a really shit way of doing anything. It means it's a continuous battle, using a finite resource. Here's the American Psychologists Associations take:
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/willpower.aspx?item=4
Much more effective is creating good habits and hunger management.
DrMekon is the expert but the the theories are here:
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/willpower.aspx?item=6
From the study you linked to:
"adolescents who had more self-control problems in sixth grade — such as talking out of turn in class or acting without thinking — were more likely to use alcohol, tobacco and marijuana as high school juniors."
Yep. Guilty as charged, your Honour.
"exerting willpower in one sphere can undermine your capacity to resist temptations in other, unrelated areas of life. "
So, basically, when I gave up smoking 14 years ago, it depleted my willpower so I started drinking more alcohol.
Then, when I gave up drinking alcohol 18 months ago, it depleted my willpower so I started eating more 'bad' food.
Yeah, sounds about right.
So, following this logic, if I give up eating 'bad' food and stop overeating, it will deplete my willpoer so I will start.....what? Riding ridiculous distances on my bike? Spending way too much time on the internet? Becoming a sex addict? Taking intravenous drugs?
Aha.
"The “out of sight, out of mind” principle applies to adults, too. One recent study, for instance, found office workers who kept candy in a desk drawer indulged less than when they kept the candy on top of their desks, in plain sight.
Another helpful tactic for improving self-control is a technique that psychologists call an “implementation intention.” Usually these intentions take the form of “if-then” statements that help people plan for situations that are likely to foil their resolve. For example, someone who’s watching her alcohol intake might tell herself before a party, “If anyone offers me a drink, then I’ll ask for club soda with lime.” Research among adolescents and adults has found that implementation intentions improve self-control, even among people whose willpower has been depleted by laboratory tasks. Having a plan in place ahead of time may allow you to make decisions in the moment without having to draw on your willpower."
Okay, so...
If someone suggests I ride a 400, I'll just ride a 200 instead.
I'll keep the computer/smartphone/tablet switched off or hidden away for 2/3 of the day.
If someone tries it on with me, or I find I'm attracted to them, I'll blurt out that I'm married and have kids. Usually works. Unless it's my wife making the advances of course.
If I'm offered intravenous drugs*, I'll just drop an eccy instead. Hmm, may need work that. "Just Say No"?
Aha. (2)
"Being depleted in one area can reduce willpower in other spheres, so it makes more sense to focus on a single goal at a time. In other words, don’t try to quit smoking, adopt a healthy diet and start a new exercise plan at the same time. Taking goals one by one is a better approach. Once a good habit is in place, Baumeister says, you’ll no longer need to draw on your willpower to maintain the behavior. Eventually healthy habits will become routine, and won’t require making decisions at all."
So, focus on the diet and let the audax, internet, shagging, and drugs** take care of themselves, then?
Life is complicated!
* - Highly unlikely given my age, lifestyle and lack of attending druggy parties in the past decade or so, but you never know.
** - Actually I threw the drugs in there just for a laugh, I gave 'recreational' drugs up long before quitting smoking.
