(360) 574-7292
Mindbody Client Login
It may sound surprising, but marshmallows, yes marshmallows, can teach us a powerful lesson about achieving our health and fitness goals. The famous Stanford Marshmallow Experiment explored how children responded when given a choice: enjoy one treat immediately or wait about 15-20 minutes and receive two treats later. Those who were able to delay gratification tended to experience better outcomes later in life.
Don’t forget to sign up under “Weekly Fitness Tips” to receive my latest blog post in your inbox automatically!
What Does Delayed Gratification Have to Do With Your Workouts or Nutrition Plan?
Discipline Pays Off Over Time
At its core, this study highlights the importance of delayed gratification, willpower and the ability to tolerate short-term discomfort in exchange for long-term rewards. In the world of health and fitness, this principle shows up everywhere. Choosing to exercise when you don’t feel like it, passing on a second dessert, or going to bed early instead of staying up late are all small decisions that require discipline in the moment but pay off over time.
Let’s be honest…getting in shape isn’t always comfortable. Muscles burn, schedules get tight, and cravings can be strong. But those who learn to sit with that temporary discomfort, rather than avoid it, are the ones who make lasting progress. Just like the children who waited for the second cookie, you’re training your brain to prioritize future rewards over immediate pleasure.
Practical Ways This Plays Out in Daily Life
Choose a balanced meal instead of fast food, even though it requires more effort
Complete your workout after a long day, even when motivation is low
Stop eating when you’re satisfied, rather than overly full
Stay consistent with your routine, even when results feel slow
Get up early and do the workout, even though you want to press the snooze button
Share a meal with a friend at a restaurant to control portions
Enjoy 3 bites instead of the entire dessert
Choose a mocktail instead of a cocktail
The Marshmallow Test
These moments are the “marshmallow test.”
When you choose the harder, more disciplined option, you strengthen your ability to delay gratification and that skill compounds over time. It says a lot about who you are as a person when you invest time in taking care of yourself. It says you respect and love yourself enough to do what’s necessary to be at your personal best.
If you go to the gym for a workout on a day when you just don’t feel like exercising, you grow a little stronger. Every time you go for a run or walk on a cold or rainy day when you just feel like staying under the warm, cozy covers, you strengthen your character.
When you endure a tough workout, it enables you to persevere through any other challenge in your life.
This doesn’t mean you can never enjoy treats or take a break. In fact, balance is essential. But understanding when to lean into discomfort versus when to indulge is what creates sustainable success.
“The greatest irony of our physical life is that when we are young, we are willing to sacrifice every bit of our health for wealth, and when we grow old, we are willing to sacrifice so much of our wealth for just one day of health.”
Don’t let this happen to you. The little things in life are actually the big things and the quality of success that you will experience ultimately depends upon the tiny choices you make every minute of every hour of every day. It’s the small daily acts and habits that define how big we end up living.
In the end, achieving your health and fitness goals isn’t about perfection…it’s about making small, intentional choices consistently. So the next time you’re faced with your own version of the “marshmallow test,” remember: a little patience today can lead to powerful results tomorrow.
Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan
About Us 
Schedule 
Mindbody Login 
Call Us