WILL POWER Please help!

crazedmomof5
crazedmomof5 Posts: 14
edited October 4 in Motivation and Support
Hello MFP I have a question or really I am looking for some advise. I have NO will power I can stay commited to something for a couple days and then well it is like something inside me goes crazy. I can swear of soda's and fast food but dang it after a couple days I have to have it most of the time I am not even hungry but see fast food places and have to stop and get something to eat or, at the house have to grab that snack cake or chips the kids have for lunches ( no I do not take my kids food lol there is always extra). I am not sure what I can do hopping that some of you may have some suggestions on how to increase my will power or how to over come these urges/ impulses that I have. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    No one can do it but you. You have to stop telling yourself " oh the heck with it"! It just shows weakness. Get strong and say no and drive on by. You can do it, You just have to do it. Stop giving yourself an excuss. Think with you head and not your stomach. :flowerforyou:
  • chicka200413
    chicka200413 Posts: 55
    I have the same problem... I need help too!!!!
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    We're all on our own with that one...
  • Jean410
    Jean410 Posts: 104
    I'm not big on will power either. I would crave and crave... Then I got serious about wanting to change my life. Easy to pass up starbucks, but I need a substitute (sugar free coffeemate is my trick) that I bring from home... NO junk food in my house, not even for my son. I don't believe it's JUST will power. It's about taking your power back. It's different for everyone, but that's my story.

    I have faith you can do it. I wish you the best of luck. :glasses:
  • PrincessGlitterTush
    PrincessGlitterTush Posts: 388
    Try not swearing all of it off. If you want a soda, replace it with a diet sode. If you want a slab of chocolate, have a couple of blocks instead. Make smaller changes. It's easier to get into. It becomes very hard when you take on so many changes. Make small adjustments and you'll start to prefer healthier alternatives.
  • jaxCarrie
    jaxCarrie Posts: 214 Member
    Hey...maybe you should keep a journal and look for the trigger that is causing these urges/will power lapses? Are you bored? angry? etc? Then maybe commit to taking a 15 minute walk before you act on them (i.e. before you go thru the drive thru?) My will power isn't great (clearly, as I'm on this site!) but I found when I journaled, I was eating because I was bored......and if I exercised a bit (or just broke up my rountine with a walk) I was more likely to not act on the urges.....
  • MarieS1967
    MarieS1967 Posts: 37 Member
    Will power is a habit and you have to practice it. Think about how you feel when you do not eat the junk food and make healthy choices. You feel better, don't you? Then focus on how much healthier you are and will be for every time you say NO! You are in control and you have the power within you! Good luck!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Well, the first thing you could do is NOT have snack cakes, etc. in your house. But what you are describing has nothing to do with food. It sounds like an eating disorder. You may need some help to break that cycle. Maybe you can find that help here with MFP friends, maybe you'd do well in a group setting like Weight Watchers or Eater's Anonymous, or perhaps a counselor. Don't be afraid to ask for help. You CAN beat it!
  • megarooni
    megarooni Posts: 50 Member
    When I am thinking fast food sounds appealing I decide to go home and empty my car from the stuff I needed for the work day and want to change into my comfy clothes (jeans and a tshirt). Then I decide if I really want the fast food anymore... I cannot think of a time I have left the house to go back and get the fast food. Fast food for me seems to be an impulsive thing.
    It's like when you are upset with someone and want to tell them off and then write a letter and sleep on it before you decide whether or not to send it. You have time to think and reflect and decide it is an impulse and do not need to do it.
    Good luck! I know you can do it!!!
  • mleoni092708
    mleoni092708 Posts: 629 Member
    I am no expert by any means. I still struggle with this too. The way I''ve been able to cut back is to allow myself to have it. I know that sounds nuts, but once you decide you can eat whatever and not feel guilty, you don't want it as much. I would start out allowing yourself to have only 1 or 2 bad foods per day, log it, don't feel guilty, then move on. Then the next week, cut it back to only 1 per day. Then 1 every other day. Hey it's worth a shot :happy:
  • mrseasider
    mrseasider Posts: 7
    Make it an obsession. Tell yourself that you want to know the calories on EVERYTHING you eat. If it doesn't have a label on it, don;t buy it. Read every label, it will put you off lots of stuff. Look at the calories count at McDonalds, then buy chicken nuggets on their own. If you can't resist sweet stuff and snacks, try sugar-free jello - you can eat loads of it - or smaller portions of whatever it is you like. I thought I'd have no willpower, but i's turned into completely the opposite. Perhaps you need a REASON for losing weight rather than just because you eel you ought to. Ask your Doctor what would improve about your health if you lost weight, or what problems your present weight is causing you without realising - fatigue, backache, sleeplessness - sometimes you need someone else to give you a real shock to make you wake up and smell the sugar-free coffee.
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    ah. I see some folks are asking for help with will power. to them I say, please see my will power blog below. I've come up with a way to design your very own will power pill. enjoy....and take your time with the exercise contained in my blog.
  • bonstock
    bonstock Posts: 1
    Try writing down your goals and look at them everyday. Tell yourself that you are going to do it this time. Every time you feel tempted, look at your goals or a picture of yourself and remember why you are doing this! Make your meals healthy, tasty and pretty with lots of different colored veggies so that you feel special. After eating healthy for a while, your body will give up on those unhealthy cravings. Fast food really isn't that good, but it becomes a habit and convenience. It isn't what our body craves, but what our body has come to accept as a substitute for what it needs. When your body gets back on track, you won't even want it anymore. Try watching "Supersize Me", I haven't been able to eat McDonalds in years since I watched it. Even the smell turns my stomach. Give your body the good foods that it needs and soon you will lose those unhealthy cravings. Hang in there! You can do it!
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    Try writing down your goals and look at them everyday. Tell yourself that you are going to do it this time. Every time you feel tempted, look at your goals or a picture of yourself and remember why you are doing this! Make your meals healthy, tasty and pretty with lots of different colored veggies so that you feel special. After eating healthy for a while, your body will give up on those unhealthy cravings. Fast food really isn't that good, but it becomes a habit and convenience. It isn't what our body craves, but what our body has come to accept as a substitute for what it needs. When your body gets back on track, you won't even want it anymore. Try watching "Supersize Me", I haven't been able to eat McDonalds in years since I watched it. Even the smell turns my stomach. Give your body the good foods that it needs and soon you will lose those unhealthy cravings. Hang in there! You can do it!

    I wish this worked for me. I have basically been eating healthy foods since April...but fast food still tastes good to me. Last week, for convenience reasons, I had some Crapdonalds for the first time in a long while. it was still quite tasty to me :( I just have to stay focused on the reasons I'm on this journey and that's usually enough to pass on Crapdonalds and other temptations.
  • crazedmomof5
    crazedmomof5 Posts: 14
    Just wanted to say Thank You for all the replies I really do appropriate them all of them!
  • elizabethblake
    elizabethblake Posts: 384 Member
    You don't have to have it. You don't have to stop at a fast food place. You don't have to drink soda and eat chips. You just think you do because that's been your habit.

    These are choices you're making. Simple as that. And the choices you make are what make you - if you choose to eat junk, you're going to feel and look like junk.

    Not trying to be harsh, but this is reality. Life's all about choices and if you make good, healthy choices, you'll reap the rewards.

    If you gave yourself a week of making good choices, CHOOSING not to eat fast food or junk food, you'll find that the cravings lessen and your willpower increases. Every day you eat well is a victory. Enough victories and you win the war!
  • alabughosh
    alabughosh Posts: 132 Member
    I don't really believe in will power when it comes to dieting. Will power suggests that you are using pure will to do something that is extremely difficult. If you are having to resort to will power...maybe you are doing something wrong? Try adding more protein and fiber to your diet for starters. Try getting about 30 grams of fiber and 100 grams of protein. I think you will find that you are satisfied and will come to rely less on will power to get you through the day!

    Trust me, I'm an EXPERT on will power being that I have about ZERO
  • awoodwaring
    awoodwaring Posts: 90 Member
    I am trying to say this in my kindest, non-judgmental way, please take it as it is meant!

    Do you really want to feed your kids the very stuff you know is not good? Part of the reason I am on this journey is for my kids. I don't want them growing up thinking dessert is every day and we just sit around doing nothing. I want to role model exercise and healthy eating. I do not want them to think they should eat junk food every day. So, I don't keep junk in the house (and frankly, I would eat most of it if I did!!). We are starting to make desserts only on the weekends, as a treat. I used to eat this way....when I was thin! lol Unfortunately, we got lazy and dessert crept into our everyday routine. However, my daughter will have a weight problem if I do not correct *our* every day behavior now.

    Good luck and know you are not alone on your journey. Also, think about your kids.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    Hello MFP I have a question or really I am looking for some advise. I have NO will power I can stay commited to something for a couple days and then well it is like something inside me goes crazy. I can swear of soda's and fast food but dang it after a couple days I have to have it most of the time I am not even hungry but see fast food places and have to stop and get something to eat or, at the house have to grab that snack cake or chips the kids have for lunches ( no I do not take my kids food lol there is always extra). I am not sure what I can do hopping that some of you may have some suggestions on how to increase my will power or how to over come these urges/ impulses that I have. Any advice would be much appreciated!
    Will power and motivation come from within. No one can really encourage you enough to do anything you really don't WANT to do. So you really really have to want it. Till that changes, then you'll probably keep continuing your current lifestyle.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    I wish this worked for me. I have basically been eating healthy foods since April...but fast food still tastes good to me. Last week, for convenience reasons, I had some Crapdonalds for the first time in a long while. it was still quite tasty to me :( I just have to stay focused on the reasons I'm on this journey and that's usually enough to pass on Crapdonalds and other temptations.
    You can still have some fast food or other foods you like, IF you are willing to restrict how much of it you really eat, comp for it with extra exercise, or sacrifice eating something else for it.
    I eat fast food at least 2 times a week and have been able to maintain my weight for about 20 years now.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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