Charles Runels, MD
Charles Runels, MD It may help to hear a question that I ask myself occasionally that helps with health practices. I learned the question from a classic book on time management published in 1959: The Management of Time by James T. McCay.
Before I share the question, let me tell you more of the problem it addresses.
One of the most common lamenting remarks that I hear from people who ask my advice about health is that they know what they must do but just need more will power in regards to food and more time in regards to exercise. With this comment, the person will be referring to the realization of knowing that exercise should be done, or certain foods avoided, but that they just don’t have the will power to resist the foods or the time to do the exercise.
The person telling me this will often be successful in business and with their family and will have many accomplishments that seem to testify that he or she enjoys a surplus of will power and resolution and the ability to manage time.
With refinement of resolutions and focus, the person will find time for exercise and avoid improper eating. McCay’s question helps with this refinement of resolutions.
You’ve previously read that I think the resolution to eat five servings of any fruit or vegetable every day and two to five low-calorie protein shakes per day will help suppress the appetite so that improper foods will be avoided.
You’ve heard me say that walking 3 miles per day will (for most people) burn all the extra calories needed to be burned to maintain a proper weight and will cause hormonal changes that also help curb the appetite for unhealthy foods. But the challenge is to put these practices into the normal day.
Here is where McCay’s question can help. This is the process he recommended in his classic book:
1. Get two slips of paper.
2. Head up one of them with the phrase "HAVE TO" and the other with "SHOULD DO."
3. List down on your "Have To" sheet only those things you must do today.
4. List on your "Should Do" sheet all those things you feel you ought to do or feel it would be a good thing to do.
5. File the "Should Do" list away for future reference.
6. Take your "Have To" list and do them one by one.
The crux of the method lies in using the magic question to be severe in your selection for the "HAVE TO" list.
Everything on this list (Have To) must give a "Yes" to this question: "Will my work, family, or health suffer in any significant way if I fail to do this today?"
McCay actually left health off the list; his original question was "Will my work, co-workers, or family suffer in any significant way...?" But, I think it fair to say your work, co-workers, and family will suffer if your health suffers; so, I added "health" to the question. Hopefully, the following will be on your "Have To" list:
__ Read I Kings Chapters 1 -3
__ Walk 3 miles: actual miles walked ___
__ Eat 5 fruits or vegetables: actual eaten ___
__ Virtue: Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Peace & health,
Charles Runels, MD
O-Shot (R) also known as the Orgasm Shot (R)