What do you all do to strengthen willpower???

lemurcat12 · June 2015

ihatetodietalways wrote: »

I find it funny that fitness pal is for losing weight, but people are very defensive about cutting crappy sugary foods.

Your post simply didn't seem responsive to the thread to me.

ihatetodietalways · June 2015

Sorry. My mistake.

Batgirl2292 · June 2015

I watch movies when I walk/run, lift weights, squats and the like. Most of them are either Batman movies or I watch a couple of horror flicks, anything that draws my attention from the actual activity so I can be distracted. Or, I find new music and listen to that on full blast in my earphones--I recently added two albums worth of Disturbed songs in my phone so I can stay distracted. Or i dive into my fantasy land: I pretend I'm Batman's sidekick and he's jiving me to get more fit, stronger--sometimes I kick the air and punch, so I can get the full motivation. Or I drink a coke and then I have all kinds of f*cking energy and I don't know what to do with it! I hope some of this helps you; I never reward myself with cokes or candy; I give myself a session of meditation with yoga or some music, and just give myself an out-of-the-body experience. Sometimes, I eat an apple dipped in caramel. It is wonderful.

jgnatca · June 2015

There are a bunch of studies going on where the subjects are put through a variety of tests that challenge their self-control, along with brain scans to figure out part of our brains get activated. The tests don't always involve food. It might be a risk or word game. Here are some examples I found:

http://www.pnas.org/content/111/7/2470.short (video game)

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057740812000745 (word game)

I'm a diabetic type 2 in remission. It's not a lack of willpower that compels me to take sugar if I'm low on sugar. It's survival. And logical.

BWBTrish · June 2015

ihatetodietalways wrote: »

I find it funny that fitness pal is for losing weight, but people are very defensive about cutting crappy sugary foods.

lol what has that to do with the thread......
And sugar isnt bad....TOO MUCH of anything your body cant have is bad.

zyxst · June 2015

ihatetodietalways wrote: »

I find it funny that fitness pal is for losing weight, but people are very defensive about cutting crappy sugary foods.

Why cut out food that I have no problems with? Why should my diet be one tailored for diabetics when I have no medical signs that I have it or am predisposed to have it? I have problems with penicillin, so everyone better stop taking it.

lemurcat12 · June 2015

jgnatca wrote: »

I've provided many examples in my little rant. There's habitual (morning run for coffee), social (office cake), locational (vending machine), and familial (dinner time). Each is their own situation that may require a different strategy to overcome. It might mean avoiding the coffee room for a while until that sort of temptation isn't such a big deal any more.

Not to just me too all your posts in this thread, but I really like this. One of the things that frustrates me about the usual "how can I cut down on [insert food]" threads is that it really depends on what the particular challenge is. Usually breaking it down like you did here and understanding why it's a challenge is the first step in figuring out a strategy.

Too often I've seen people bemoaning that they lack the willpower to stop eating when they grab a bag of chips and plan to eat just a few. Well, obviously. That doesn't mean you have poor willpower (or are somehow unusually susceptible to whatever the food is). That means you lack a sensible strategy.

jgnatca · June 2015

I wonder how determined the people in the experiments are, as opposed to those who never want to be overweight again.

It's pretty conclusive that people are notoriously bad at planning for long-term risk. Like saving for retirement or quitting smoking.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/03/17/why-were-awful-at-assessing-risk/6530753/

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/16/wrong-about-risk-blame-your-brain/?_r=0

DeguelloTex · June 2015

ihatetodietalways wrote: »

I find it funny that fitness pal is for losing weight, but people are very defensive about cutting crappy sugary foods.

Because it's possible to lose weight while eating crappy, sugary, delicious food.

ribye · June 2015

I read before and after posts and articles watch inspirational movies, like challenge of a lifetime, think of swimming with my kids. Remind myself no taste is worth the feeling of being in shape. weigh myself to stay reminded of where I am and want to be. Anything to see others succeeding

AlabasterVerve · June 2015

I don't rely on willpower. I focus on eating nutritious foods that I love, in amounts that leave me completely full and satisfied and then I don't eat again until I'm hungry. That means I eat full meals and I don't snack.

I also don't eat foods that cause cravings, leave me hungry for more, or even worse, make me hungrier than if I didn't eat at all. They are not part of my regular, everyday diet. If an occasion calls for some delicious desserts or a weekend would be better with pizza I indulge but I limit those times -- it's not every occasion and not every weekend. It sounds a little grim when I type it out but it's really not.

Best wishes figuring out a satisfying diet that you don't need willpower to stick to.

ihatetodietalways · June 2015

DeguelloTex wrote: »

ihatetodietalways wrote: »

I find it funny that fitness pal is for losing weight, but people are very defensive about cutting crappy sugary foods.

Because it's possible to lose weight while eating crappy, sugary, delicious food.

Yes, but in the long run, you will not sustain your weight.

ihatetodietalways · June 2015

DeguelloTex wrote: »

ihatetodietalways wrote: »

I find it funny that fitness pal is for losing weight, but people are very defensive about cutting crappy sugary foods.

Because it's possible to lose weight while eating crappy, sugary, delicious food.

You are right, you are opinionated.

kdcancan · June 2015

I know myself well enough to keep certain foods out of the house and to allow myself some sweets. I'm in it for the long haul, not a diet, but a way of eating that includes whole foods and exercise. If I have ice cream in the house. I know I'll eat all of it whether a scoop or half gallon. So if I want ice cream I go out for it. I don't like chocolate very much so I keep some high quality dark chocolate since I know I won't eat much of it. We also don't keep potato chips in the house. If I have that salty craving I'll make air popped popcorn with a spritz of extra virgin olive oil and salt. Satisfies but I don't binge on it. I've found that if I eat real food I don't snack on junk.

DiabolicalColossus · June 2015

"Willpower" is wank.

I rely mainly on routine, because I like self created structure.

Not eating too much in the way of snackage is part of my routine.

I still have the things I want, but smaller amounts of them.

And there are plenty of days where I want to eat mass quantities of them.

At that point, I take a step back and think about whether or not it's worth the calories, while drinking a glass of water.

I don't always drink enough, and sometimes thirst feels like hunger.

So I try that first.

If I legitimately want the food, I'll have a little more and deal with the caloric consequence.

If I don't, I move on.

Unknown · June 2015