Ready for a little debate? I sure am!
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FromGastricToFantastic
Posts: 79 Member
This blog post is gonna furrow some eyebrows....gonna ruffle some feathers. But you now what? That is totally ok 
I am a rebel. One thing is for certain today and always. You are amazing. You are special and YOU ARE LOVED! Now, read the blog LOL Then come back and tell me what you think....what is your opinion?
http://www.fromgastrictofantastic.com/blog/are-you-there-willpower-its-me-raymond
I am a rebel. One thing is for certain today and always. You are amazing. You are special and YOU ARE LOVED! Now, read the blog LOL Then come back and tell me what you think....what is your opinion?http://www.fromgastrictofantastic.com/blog/are-you-there-willpower-its-me-raymond
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Sorry, no debate here. I agree with you entirely. While it took a conscious decision and will to begin, what has set me up for success is 1) routine, 2) consistency, and 3) planning. When I have the ingredients in the house every week to prepare the kinds of meals I want to eat, and take to work the kinds of snacks that will help me meet my goals, I succeed. When I get up at the same time every day and do the exercise I planned the night before, I succeed. It's about giving yourself the tools and routines to do, day after day, the things that will get you to your goal. And picking yourself up when you inevitably fall and starting again from where you are.0
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knitapeace wrote: »Sorry, no debate here. I agree with you entirely. While it took a conscious decision and will to begin, what has set me up for success is 1) routine, 2) consistency, and 3) planning. When I have the ingredients in the house every week to prepare the kinds of meals I want to eat, and take to work the kinds of snacks that will help me meet my goals, I succeed. When I get up at the same time every day and do the exercise I planned the night before, I succeed. It's about giving yourself the tools and routines to do, day after day, the things that will get you to your goal. And picking yourself up when you inevitably fall and starting again from where you are.
That is so awesome. I could not have said it better myself. You would NOT believe the amount of people I have encountered that do not agree. Yay for you! So proud of you 0 -
I don't think you're going to ruffle too many feathers...I think most of us who have had good success and sustained success would largely agree and give similar advice daily here. The part about being perfect is particularly important and this is where I see so may people go wrong here...they think if they're not 100% on, they're a failure...which is a completely unrealistic outlook, not to mention unnecessary to be healthy and fit.
Nice post.0 -
FromGastricToFantastic wrote: »This blog post is gonna furrow some eyebrows....gonna ruffle some feathers.
Is it? it sounds rather sensible to me...
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I don't think you're going to ruffle too many feathers...I think most of us who have had good success and sustained success would largely agree and give similar advice daily here. The part about being perfect is particularly important and this is where I see so may people go wrong here...they think if they're not 100% on, they're a failure...which is a completely unrealistic outlook, not to mention unnecessary to be healthy and fit.
Nice post.
Thank you so very much! I appreciate your opinion and your kind words!0 -
FromGastricToFantastic wrote: »This blog post is gonna furrow some eyebrows....gonna ruffle some feathers.
Is it? it sounds rather sensible to me...
I know it may seem sensible.....but I have gotten lots of flack for my thought process. Seems logical to me LOL but then again I am biased
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No debate from me either. However when I read your blog title, I first thought of "Are you there Vodka, its me Chelsea" (a book written by Chelsea Handler)
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What are people saying that it is willpower over desire?0
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FromGastricToFantastic wrote: »FromGastricToFantastic wrote: »This blog post is gonna furrow some eyebrows....gonna ruffle some feathers.
Is it? it sounds rather sensible to me...
I know it may seem sensible.....but I have gotten lots of flack for my thought process. Seems logical to me LOL but then again I am biased
I think it reflects more current thinking in weight loss models.
The traditional models put up willpower in a straight fight against a deprivation mindset triggered by dieting. This has been shown over time to be a massive failure not in losing weight so much as keeping it off over the long term.
Now there seems to be more of a push, quite rightly in my view, as seeing willpower as a finite resource which cannot be relied upon and therefore having strategies which reduces the need for willpower to the lowest level possible.
Well unless you are a masochist and get off on suffering that is...
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yopeeps025 wrote: »What are people saying that it is willpower over desire?
They are saying that willpower is the way to go....that it is real. They are saying that you can will yourself into success. But studies have proven that willpower does NOT work in an addiction. Psychologically willpower doesn't work with addictions.0 -
FromGastricToFantastic wrote: »FromGastricToFantastic wrote: »This blog post is gonna furrow some eyebrows....gonna ruffle some feathers.
Is it? it sounds rather sensible to me...
I know it may seem sensible.....but I have gotten lots of flack for my thought process. Seems logical to me LOL but then again I am biased
I think it reflects more current thinking in weight loss models.
The traditional models put up willpower in a straight fight against a deprivation mindset triggered by dieting. This has been shown over time to be a massive failure not in losing weight so much as keeping it off over the long term.
Now there seems to be more of a push, quite rightly in my view, as seeing willpower as a finite resource which cannot be relied upon and therefore having strategies which reduces the need for willpower to the lowest level possible.
Well unless you are a masochist and get off on suffering that is...
Something tells me a masochist isn't worried about losing weight LOL but yes, I totally agree!0 -
FromGastricToFantastic wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »What are people saying that it is willpower over desire?
They are saying that willpower is the way to go....that it is real. They are saying that you can will yourself into success. But studies have proven that willpower does NOT work in an addiction. Psychologically willpower doesn't work with addictions.
Not sure who "they" are, but clearly "they" are not the people you need in your life! Good for you for figuring it out yourself and not being influenced by the nay-sayers and opinions of others.
I too believe that it has nothing to do with willpower. I believe in some degree of "want-power" but it really is just common sense and being an adult and taking care of your health.
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Most everyone has the want, but not everyone will sit down, make a plan, and start making those good choices. And once you make a choice, it becomes infinitely easier (and not even really a choice anymore) if it becomes a habit. It is habit for me not to buy snacks at the snack shop at work. It is habit now for me not to buy junk food at the grocery store. It is habit for me to log my food and weigh in the morning.
Once you get your good habits set, you can still make an occasional bad choice and stay on track.0 -
hoyalawya2003 wrote: »Most everyone has the want, but not everyone will sit down, make a plan, and start making those good choices. And once you make a choice, it becomes infinitely easier (and not even really a choice anymore) if it becomes a habit. It is habit for me not to buy snacks at the snack shop at work. It is habit now for me not to buy junk food at the grocery store. It is habit for me to log my food and weigh in the morning.
Once you get your good habits set, you can still make an occasional bad choice and stay on track.
So very true! Effort is key!
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FromGastricToFantastic wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »What are people saying that it is willpower over desire?
They are saying that willpower is the way to go....that it is real. They are saying that you can will yourself into success. But studies have proven that willpower does NOT work in an addiction. Psychologically willpower doesn't work with addictions.
Not sure who "they" are, but clearly "they" are not the people you need in your life! Good for you for figuring it out yourself and not being influenced by the nay-sayers and opinions of others.
I too believe that it has nothing to do with willpower. I believe in some degree of "want-power" but it really is just common sense and being an adult and taking care of your health.
Totally agree with you my friend Thanks for your opinion! 0 -
I do think it's an older mindset, that if you are strong enough of character you'll have enough willpower to get 'er done. Thirty years ago, the army told my dad he was too fat and to be eligible for something or other, he had to lose lots of weight. So he ate 600 calories a day for 6 months, took it all off, and kept it off for the most part. To him, that's sensible. Mind over matter. For me, it's a recipe for failure. And not fun failure, either. If I'm going to crash and burn, I'd like to at least enjoy the trip. Nope, I starved myself, failed, and then was miserable eating fattening foods because each bite had an aftertaste of "you are weak."
Dad doesn't quite get my slower approach this time, but he supports it. I can still tell that he's thinking about how fast this could all go, but he's keeping it to himself. I told him I was trying to lose 5 pounds a month, and he said, "Oh, you'll certainly lose more than that as dedicated as you've been." He means well, sigh. But dedication is planning my meals, grocery shopping, cooking, and knowing what I want and will eat before I ever get to the "I'm hungry, what do I want?" stage. Yes, I'm hiking pretty regularly, but that's to build strength, not burn calories.
So, to hell with willpower. You know what will kick willpower's *kitten* each and every time? Good planning and a long timeline. Willpower will collapse under siege, but if you've got a good plan and are willing to go the distance, you'll end up in the right place while willpower is left behind on the other side of the mountain trying to just climb faster and harder to make it to the peak you've long since summited.
At least, that's what I'm telling myself. 0 -
Turning_Hopes_to_Habits wrote: »I do think it's an older mindset, that if you are strong enough of character you'll have enough willpower to get 'er done. Thirty years ago, the army told my dad he was too fat and to be eligible for something or other, he had to lose lots of weight. So he ate 600 calories a day for 6 months, took it all off, and kept it off for the most part. To him, that's sensible. Mind over matter. For me, it's a recipe for failure. And not fun failure, either. If I'm going to crash and burn, I'd like to at least enjoy the trip. Nope, I starved myself, failed, and then was miserable eating fattening foods because each bite had an aftertaste of "you are weak."
Dad doesn't quite get my slower approach this time, but he supports it. I can still tell that he's thinking about how fast this could all go, but he's keeping it to himself. I told him I was trying to lose 5 pounds a month, and he said, "Oh, you'll certainly lose more than that as dedicated as you've been." He means well, sigh. But dedication is planning my meals, grocery shopping, cooking, and knowing what I want and will eat before I ever get to the "I'm hungry, what do I want?" stage. Yes, I'm hiking pretty regularly, but that's to build strength, not burn calories.
So, to hell with willpower. You know what will kick willpower's *kitten* each and every time? Good planning and a long timeline. Willpower will collapse under siege, but if you've got a good plan and are willing to go the distance, you'll end up in the right place while willpower is left behind on the other side of the mountain trying to just climb faster and harder to make it to the peak you've long since summited.
At least, that's what I'm telling myself.
You are awesome. Love the story and love the mindset!0 -
100 right choices lead you to a place where making the right choice becomes easier.
Consistency + time = Success.
Yes. Willpower is a myth. Taking action every day actually gets you somewhere.
Good blog post.
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No argument from me. You can not wish for weight loss and expect not to have to put in the hard work and effort it takes to do it. To me wishing and willpower mean the same. I can wish to be thinner and fit and all the willpower in the world will not make it so. You have to want it bad enough and go for it. No one promised that this was going to be easy...where the hell is the fun in that?
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