The problem isn't that you don't have enough will power to achieve what you want. You have will power, but it's not will power you need, it's want power.
You have to first want
You must want to change your habits, want to lose some weight, want to give up your evening snacking before your will comes into play. Once you want a thing badly enough, you will do whatever it takes.
If you think you want something (to make a change in your eating habits perhaps), but then find it difficult to follow-through with your plans, most likely you simply want your current reality (your current habits and patterns) more than you want your goals (less weight, better health, etc.)
I can hear you all the way over here, telling me I'm wrong: "No, that's not right! I want this more than anything, I just don't have any willpower!" Round and round you go, but the truth is, you will get what you really want. Think back, has there ever been a time when you really wanted something? A certain piece of clothing, a certain house, car, job, spouse? Hum... Yes, we go after what we want, if we really want to acquire or achieve it we do. Nothings going to fall in your lap, you've got to go get what you want.
What's Going on?
Put another way, you may want to avoid the pain (breaking old habits, avoiding some favorite foods, simply not overeating...) more than you want to gain the pleasure (losing some weight, gaining new habits, eating favorite foods in moderation ...)
Since losing weight takes time, from weeks to months to years, it's easy to fall off the path. It's always easier to get back into our old habits of eating, eating, and more eating. There's always more food. Unless you are too poor to purchase it, there's plenty food in America - in fact, too much food, and so it becomes even more necessary to keep the longer-term goals in mind.
How do you keep the longer-term goals in mind, when the short-term food is staring you in the face? What about all the treats offered, what about the commercials, the billboards, the signs everywhere that say EAT?
Wanting, in fact, is the "W", the first step in the W.H.A.C.K approach. See it in the free e-book, Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss.
Think back to when you last really wanted something. Wanted it more than anything, had to have it, would do just about anything to get it. To want is a mighty powerful motivator, but surprisingly we aren't all motivated by what we want. Some of us are motivated by avoiding what we don't want.
What is your Motivation Strategy?
Motivation comes in two (or more) flavors. You can be motivated towards something (what you'll gain) or you can be motivated away from something (what you'll lose). This desiring to avoid can be confusing. I'm saying you must want something, and you're thinking, but I don't want to be fat. I can't think about my future, only what I don't want. Here is what's going on:
Motivation: Toward
If you are motivated by what you'll gain you find it easy to look ahead and see your future shapely body, you'll see people around you with admiring glances, you'll hear their compliments, you'll smell the good food and feel good knowing you can eat enough to be satisfied, and then say you're full. You've had enough, thank you. You'll be in control of your life. You'll want what you visualize more than anything, and you'll do whatever it takes to get it. If asked what movie to go see, they'll have a few ideas, and tell you why.
Motivation: Away
If you are motivated by what you'll lose you'll focus on what you want to avoid. For example, you want to avoid dying, you want to avoid being too heavy to enjoy playing with the kids, you want to avoid gasping for breath when you climb a flight of stairs. You want to avoid the embarrassment, the humiliation of other people's remarks and rude glances. You don't want any of that anymore, and you don't want it to the extent that you'll do whatever it takes to avoid these things. If you ask them what they want for dinner, they'll tell you they don't want Chinese, or pizza. It can be difficult to get someone motivated this way to actually say what they do want!
Knowing your motivation strategy makes it easier to find methods that support your preferred strategy. If you are motivated toward, you may enjoy cutting our pictures of people in great shape with similar body types to yours. Find models wearing clothes that would look good on you, pictures of swimming pools, holiday places you'd enjoy; the types of things that go into a dream board.
If you motivated away, then make a list of what you want to avoid and elaborate on that list. Why don't you want these things? The more detailed you are, the more likely you'll truly do what it takes to avoid them.
Hopefully these ideas will get you thinking, and much about making changes in our lives comes down to thinking it through. Realizing what we really want can get us past the hurdles of what we already have. To affect change isn't necessarily comfortable, until you've worked at it for awhile, and then suddenly your changed behavior has become your new behavior and the effort is over.
Kathryn Martyn, is a Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, and author of Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss. Visit OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com to see how she gave up 80 pounds over 20 years ago and how you can do the same.
In a culture of blame-shifting we often look for someone... Read More
You may not like what I have to say, even... Read More
Food Cravings: How to Practice PatienceDuring holidays and parties you... Read More
Dieting is not easy. If it were, we would probably... Read More
In twenty years of consistant exercising, maintaining a low percentage... Read More
Here are the 4 things you need to know about... Read More
* Not walking on a treadmill everyday for 45 minutes... Read More
It has been 15 years since I was diagnosed with... Read More
Diet is one of the most controversial subjects around. Bring... Read More
Losing weight and going on a diet can be quite... Read More
The 3 day diet mixes certain types of foods that... Read More
Good health is all too easily taken for granted until... Read More
Do you know this year Florida will go through a... Read More
The safe way to lose weight begins with a thorough... Read More
There have been many diets and weight loss plans that... Read More
Following recent reports of a South Dakota man weighing half... Read More
Yesterday evening my computer hard drive crashed. Resulting in the... Read More
Many individuals these days, male or female, young or old,... Read More
A very interesting story was reported recently by WebMD.com. A... Read More
You've decided it's time to lose some weight. A lot... Read More
It is much safer to your long term health to... Read More
Looking for Diet Programs on net is like looking for... Read More
You've heard the popular advice on weight loss diets. Cut... Read More
The right diet pill should be carefully considered when deciding... Read More
For those of you who aren't familiar with ephedra let... Read More
induction street lighting dimmable led light bulb Pete's produce ..Diet Pills are the fastest growing segment of the dietary... Read More
Frankly, I'm puzzled whenever I hear this from somebody who's... Read More
We are a large people. 65% of us are overweight,... Read More
There are several ways to manage cravings. You can: ... Read More
I am so proud of you and your accomplishments. You're... Read More
Ever notice how your best friend can lose weight on... Read More
Are you often overcome with an urge to splurge on... Read More
Welcome to lesson #2. First of all, I believe that... Read More
As the dieting phenomenon grows, with a new "diet guru"... Read More
What is ephedra? Ephedra, which is also known as Ma... Read More
The holidays are definitely a special time of year. These... Read More
I clearly remember how much I loathed having my picture... Read More
Calorie burn can be really enhanced if you follow a... Read More
Can You Lose Weight Where You Want?If you have excess... Read More
In our society of fast food and long hours spent... Read More
One of the most popular diets is the low carb... Read More
How much will power does it take in order to... Read More
There is no doubt about it; Americans are eating in... Read More
I gotta confess: I'm completely addicted to crisps. Any kind... Read More
Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More
Humanity is always in search of a wonder drug that... Read More
What is "too young" to begin a weight loss program... Read More
The loss of fat comes from fat cells all over... Read More
Are you unhappy with your current weight but aren't "motivated"... Read More
Did you know that less than 2% of dieters lose... Read More
Weight Loss Weight Loss |