will-power...where does it come from????

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Replies

  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
    I like your update.
    Where does will power come from? The desire to change has to be stronger than the desire not to. easier said than done. I failed with a bagel today, but that was earlier... time to move on. I also remembered how lousy they make me feel, so thats good.

    I also use to say I had no time to exercise. I was wrong, again, it didnt' mean enough. a 40 hour a week job, an hour total commute, two kids ages 4 and 6, and a husband and building a business.... I get up early and work out in the AM. I am NOT a morning person. I'm currently doing T25, it helps to know I only have to schedule a half hour in the AM.

    I am also short (Under 5 food) have a desk job and don't get a lot of calories because of my size. (so not fair! lol)
  • purple_tux1
    purple_tux1 Posts: 250 Member
    I have kids too and we don't have this stuff in the house, except for special occasions. If you want to nibble before dinner, have raw veggies on hand. There is no need for your kids to have this crap in their lunches. Our school doesn't allow stuff like that. My kids get sliced apple or grapes and cheese sandwiches for lunch. If we get chips, cookies or chocolate, it will be for a party, such as a Halloween party we just had. After it's gone, it's gone.
  • reneeb816
    reneeb816 Posts: 60 Member
    It may be kind of difficult for you because of your family, but I just don't keep anything tempting in the house. Also the fact that I am very faithful to logging everything usually stops me simply because I don't want the hassle of figuring out the calorie count or even just entering it in my diary.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    Distraction and redirection help a lot to build will power. When you want to snack, do something else for a few minutes to see if the urge passes. Play an online video game, check your Facebook, read an article or book, take a walk, organize a drawer...anything to put off eating for a few minutes.

    I use snacking as a form of procrastination. I've just switched my procrastination habits to something that doesn't include food. I'm not actually getting anything else accomplished, but my food choices are much healthier when I can distract myself with Facebook or Angry Birds.
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
    I'd eat a boiled egg when a fierce desire to snack comes on. It ought to kill your appetite. And eventually you'll get sick of boiled eggs, and it will serve as "aversion therapy". :bigsmile:
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    Will power comes from CONSISTENT DISCIPLINE and structured routine. Usually people who commit to being consistent with their eating won't have too many issues with will power. If one is ALWAYS saying "oh this won't hurt" or "I'll start again tomorrow", they will always fight the battle with the bulge.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    this
  • waltcote
    waltcote Posts: 372 Member
    That's my hard time, right after work. I've tried a couple things. I save a piece of fruit from my lunch and eat it on the way home. My other thing is my weak tastebud is salty like chips etc. So I bought a big jar(so I thought it was big until it's almostgone) of dill pickles. really good ones like Clausen. The brand I bought are only 5 calories for a really huge spear. A couple of those and my craving subsides....and since I am also watching my sugar somewhat they have no sugar at all! :bigsmile:
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I try not to leave things up to "will power" or self control. I try to plan things out. If I know I will graze, I plan a snack to keep me from grazing like some crunchy celery with peanut butter or carrot sticks with greek yogurt dip. I tend to eat what I planned instead of grazing.
  • AprilMae1975
    AprilMae1975 Posts: 726
    I keep a huge bottle or cup of ice water with me at all times!!! If I feel the need to snack I just chug away lol. It helps me so much.
  • SlimJanette
    SlimJanette Posts: 597 Member
    Plan your day around those extra snack calories or cut up some veggies and graze on them instead of the other snacks. Worse comes to worse, don't have those snacks in the house.
  • guroprincess
    guroprincess Posts: 140
    1) Pre-plan your day.
    2) Eat a little food more often. Then you won't end up hungry.
    3) Eat more filling foods. Really sugary snacks aren't really good for staving off hunger.
    4) Brush your teeth if the temptation gets to be too much.
    5) Have some sort of "replacement" (sugar free gum, etc.)
    6) Drink water-- it's pretty filling.

    I eat every couple of hours. Meal/snack/meal/snack/meal/snack. It keeps me motivated to not eat in between-- I know I only have an hour or two to go until I can eat again.
  • obrientp
    obrientp Posts: 546 Member
    Gum and mints help
    Drinking Coke Zero helps with my sugar cravings.
    I make sure to have calories available for an occasional splurge
    I just can't have certain foods in my house, so if I crave a piece of cake I will go out and by one slice. If I want chips, I will go out and buy a small bag. Sometimes just the thought of having go out and get it is enough to make the craving go away.
    Sometimes I do just tough it out.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,032 Member
    bump
  • mjharman
    mjharman Posts: 251 Member
    You are eating at that time because you are hungry at that time. Add protein and vegetables to your afternoon snack to keep you fuller longer, and (1) plan for meals that don't take as long in the evening, or (2) use a crockpot so dinner is ready when you get home, or (3) prepare as much of the meal as you can ahead of time so that you shorten that "danger" time.

    For me, will power comes from determination. You need to have a goal, a reason, and a vision. We lack "will power" when we put road blocks in our own way - I used to do that when I doubted I could be successful. Do you find yourself questioning your ability to succeed? If so, STOP! Tell yourself, "I WILL DO THIS. I WILL SUCCEED." It is when YOU KNOW YOU WILL REACH YOUR GOAL that you WILL reach your goal. :flowerforyou:
  • baldmitch
    baldmitch Posts: 90 Member
    Will power - it's like a stock-owning account. Little deposits pay off huge dividends.

    To start exercising will power, don't start with huge things with large impact. Practice on smaller, broken-down goals that contribute to the big picture.

    You know you need to stop snacking as much, exercise, etc. So, some goals could be 1) replace snack-y food with good food, 2) walk for at least 30 minutes a day, 3) drink at least 12 cups of water a day. Little, manageable goals you can do everyday, and in a pinch, you can make a withdrawal (bag o'dorito's nite once a month).
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    For me, I've taken to drinking ice water from straws. I can chew the ice or the straw if I need to chew, or just hold it if I need something in my hand, or drink from it if I need hand-to-mouth.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Willpower is something that you decide to have! How can you not have enough self control to stop picking up snacks and putting them in your mouth?! Just doesn't make sense.
  • Mommybug2
    Mommybug2 Posts: 149 Member
    I could have written that post 11 months ago. Walk though the kitchen grab a fun size bar, get daughter a cookie might as well eat one myself, cooking? Need to taste test. Never ending munching adds up so fast. First I cut out cold turkey and didn't even allow it in the house (much to the dismay of my family) but have slowly been allotting things back in and finding my self-control. I find I need rules and challenges.

    1) Buy complicated snacks (Can't just grab and munch while multi-tasking)
    2) Buy individually wrapped items (I've talked myself out of many things trying to open a package)
    3) Don't put anything in your mouth unless your sitting down to enjoy it (as a Mom this rarely happens LOL)
    4) Don't buy it if you can't control yourself around it.
    5) Ask yourself if you really want/need it before consuming
    6) Log it before you eat it then debate if it is worth it (I often log my whole day by noon!)
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
    Willpower is something that you decide to have! How can you not have enough self control to stop picking up snacks and putting them in your mouth?! Just doesn't make sense.

    If everyone had perfect willpower, no one would ever find themselves in the position of having to lose weight.
  • Sassi3464
    Sassi3464 Posts: 3 Member
    I have just started my journey... again.. so I am not exactly a pro, but I am more determined than ever. That being said, I have been trying to keep in my mind, that I need to eat to live and not live to eat. Also, I have a goal that is WAY more important than that candy or chips.
    They same will-power that you used for quitting smoking... dig that up and use it. I realize that you can quit smoking cold turkey, you don't have to have a cigarette to live, but you must have food, so it is a bit tougher, but you can do it. Good luck to ya.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Cut up some fruits and veggies the day before, and fit them into your calorie allowance. Munch those during grazing time. Eating lunch at work and then not eating until 8 p.m. would make me snack on anything I saw, too.
  • sunsetzen
    sunsetzen Posts: 268 Member
    I make sure I have calories for snacks. I dont deprive myself. I also dont eat the kids' school snacks. But I do have a container with a difficult lid that I put all our other snacks in. I portion out the snack, put the lid back on and put it back in the back of the deepest cupboard. That way, I really have to consciously go in there if I want a snack, not just grab whatever mindlessly.
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
    Cut up some fruits and veggies the day before, and fit them into your calorie allowance. Munch those during grazing time.

    This.
    Also, are you actually thinking about what you're eating? I used to have a really bad habit of eating something every time I opened the fridge - slice of ham, a bite of cheese, anything small and edible. I did it without really thinking about what I was doing. Now I think about everything before I eat it, if I eat something it's because I've thought, considered and decided that's what I'm going to do, no more auto eating.
  • LiminalAscendance
    LiminalAscendance Posts: 489 Member
    Make sure you buy the exact amount of snacks for your kids that they eat in a week and do not buy new ones. Then if you are eating one of their snacks, you're not just snacking you're actually taking that snack away from your kids who then don't get anything. And I'm sure you wouldn't do that, would you?

    Taking a sugary, fatty "treat" from the mouths of innocents, as childhood obesity levels in developed countries skyrocket?

    Oh, the humanity!
  • ModernNerd
    ModernNerd Posts: 336 Member
    I do the same thing! For me what worked was challenging myself to go 21 straight days without grazing. They say it takes that long to develop a habit. It's a hard, cold-turkey approach but for me it worked! As you get further into the challenge, you won't want to ruin your streak:) As a result, when the 21 days were up I found I didn't even have those cravings any more. Occasionally I'll have a few chips or a pop now, but it's on a vastly smaller scale. I tend to go for healthier alternatives without thinking about it.

    Best of luck:)
  • suziepoo1984
    suziepoo1984 Posts: 915 Member
    I can totally relate to this and do it often(if not everyday). So what i do is save larger chunk of calories for night time, have snacks in small portions throughout, take my daughter out for walk and have small dinner. By the time i am done snacking, i am not very hungry for dinner. Eat what you fancy :)
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
    Make sure you buy the exact amount of snacks for your kids that they eat in a week and do not buy new ones. Then if you are eating one of their snacks, you're not just snacking you're actually taking that snack away from your kids who then don't get anything. And I'm sure you wouldn't do that, would you?

    Taking a sugary, fatty "treat" from the mouths of innocents, as childhood obesity levels in developed countries skyrocket?

    Oh, the humanity!

    This. If they whine about having to eat fruit instead of candy, take away their electronic devices until they're saying please and thank you. Parents need to stop being their kids' "friends". :devil:
  • 1debbie123
    1debbie123 Posts: 19 Member
    get a hot air popper and pop your popcorn, no oil salt or butter on it. 3 C. is one starch exchange with TOPS minimal calories and goes along way for snacking ....take your time and chew your mouthful 50 times or more. hope this helps.
  • lajpeck
    lajpeck Posts: 83 Member
    I have this problem too. I use water but that only helps so much. I keep a zip lock bag of Special K cracker chips in the kitchen. 27 of them is 100 calories and I snack on them as I am making dinner. Also I am going to get some baby carrots that I can use the same way.
  • pupcamper
    pupcamper Posts: 410 Member
    Will power comes from CONSISTENT DISCIPLINE and structured routine. Usually people who commit to being consistent with their eating won't have too many issues with will power. If one is ALWAYS saying "oh this won't hurt" or "I'll start again tomorrow", they will always fight the battle with the bulge.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    This ^^^^ will power is a bit of a myth! There is nothing wrong with having snacking as part of your routine - have a mid afternoon snack so you are ready to eat when supper is ready and you don't have to grab 'garbage' while you prepare! Work with your body - not against it! Good luck :drinker:

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