How to Handle the Dieter's Dilemma When Willpower Fails

How to Handle the Dieter's Dilemma When Willpower Fails

Everyone has had a time when they really wanted to finish a task but couldn't. If you've ever been on a diet or exercise program, I'll wager it's happened to you more than once.

It seems like a personal defeat to be overweight and not stick to your diet. It makes me feel bad to think that people are saying things like "He just has no willpower," "She lacks character," or "He can't control himself."

You might even believe these ideas yourself, which is the worst part. But you're mistaken. Not right! And this is why:

Relying on willpower to get you through a diet and exercise regimen is like leaping out of an airplane with a handkerchief as a parachute.

Evolution is not on your side.

The issue is that when you try to be in shape and drop a lot of weight, you're making your body do something it was made to fight against.

Evolution is fundamentally opposed to you. Since the beginning of time, our bodies have learned how to save energy. In the past, losing weight may always be dangerous to survival. Because of this, our bodies' first reaction to eating less calories (a diet) is to slow down their metabolism and store fat.

To make matters worse, not having enough food rapidly leads to a strong, deep want to eat that can't be ignored.

Next, social and emotional elements come into play to make your already weak willpower even weaker. Your diet plan will eventually fail, whether it's in three days, three weeks, or three months.

Nature is stronger than willpower, as we can see. However, there are tactics that are much more successful and trustworthy that you can learn quickly.

Make systems and habits.

You can't just say "eat less" or "cut out junk food" or pick a new "diet de jour" from the large list of options.

You need to know exactly why you're doing this, what the benefits of success will be, how you'll handle every aspect of exercise and nutrition, who will support you, and how you'll deal with the internal and external saboteurs who are waiting to beat you.

If you can employ systems that later turn into habits, you have tremendous tools that can replace and finally get rid of any need for willpower.

Here are some important examples. You can easily use your imagination to change them or make new ones that fit your needs.

1. Follow a structured dietary plan. If you're not sure you know what a healthy, balanced diet is or how to make a plan to eat enough calories to lose no more than one or two pounds a week, hire a licensed dietitian. This information will stay with you for the rest of your life and provide you a big advantage over other "dieters."

2. Don't let yourself get hungry. Plan out what you're going to eat for the whole day ahead of time. Three small meals and two or three good snacks. Don't get caught without food and starve. Get a compact, insulated cool-pack, fill it with snacks, and always have it with you. Every two and a half to three hours, have a meal or a snack. Once a week, let yourself have a "anything I want meal." If you're on track and losing weight slowly, let yourself have two. Plan them and write them down.

3. Always make time for exercise. Walking is the greatest option. If you can, jog. Easy and uncomplicated is preferable; reserve the hard stuff for when you're in shape and make exercise a part of your daily life. Plan your workouts ahead of time and keep track of what you do. Keep track of how much TV you watch for a week. You may easily find shows you watch that you don't need. This is where you can find time to work out. If a crisis happens, promise to do five or ten minutes. Something is a thousand times better than nothing.

4. Find a partner to help you, or at the absolute least, show someone your strategy and ask for their help. Write down your daily, weekly, and monthly goals and ask your supporter to keep you to them. They'll take you out to dinner if you reach your objective. If you don't succeed, you have to buy them supper twice.

5. Make a plan. Relax and picture how you will look and feel when you attain your objective. You will enjoy life more then. Think of a movie in your head, and make it colorful with noises, smells, and activities. Watch the movie and then make a list of ten or twelve words that describe how you look and act. Tell me about yourself in terms of your body, mind, social life, and spiritual life. Picture yourself and say, "I am (your description)." You should do this at least three times a day and if you're anxious, stressed, fatigued, angry, or scared.

This kind of strategy does three things for you.

They assist you stay away from situations that make you make bad decisions about how you live.

They help make your environment one where making healthy choices is easy and becomes a part of your daily existence.

They help you get motivated and have the right mindset, which is the most important first step to losing weight, becoming healthy, and feeling good.

It's far easier to be successful when you have procedures and routines that work for you than of willpower that isn't always there. A workout plan that doesn't incorporate this kind of approach is probably going to fail before it even starts.

Be Strong.... Stay Lean Howard McGarity, sometimes known as "Coach Mac"

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