Am new and have absolutely no will power...help!!!

ShanR77
ShanR77 Posts: 287 Member
Hey all i've been a yo-yo dieter for a long time. The reason i fall off my dieting is the same reason each time. I have absolutely zero willpower. Does anyone have any adivice?

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,419 Member
    Start saying no to food. It's just that simple.
  • mrseelmerfudd
    mrseelmerfudd Posts: 506 Member
    its about changing your lifestyle, not going on a diet! build support networks, get pictures of how you want to look/photos you hate of yourself and stick them on your fridge or anywhere else you might snack!!
  • teenytinii
    teenytinii Posts: 90 Member
    I started adding friends on here - having the motivation of others & being able to motivate them, totally helped. I have a hard time saying no to food too sometimes but now that i have been eating better, less processed foods, its a lot easier to say no to the junk i dont need. hang in there - you can do this :)
  • BIGJIMMYU
    BIGJIMMYU Posts: 1,221 Member
    Well you better get some! Would you walk into traffic? No! It's dangerous! Well pigging out all the time and never exercise kills too. Just slower! Tell yourself you are worth it, and that you love yourself, get off your butt and get to it! We will be here for you! Add me as a friend if you wish!
  • I know what you mean ShanR77. I find though that if I don't deny myself anything but instead give myself the choice, I feel a lot more in control. So if I want a piece of cake I can have one - but I often just think about my choice. Do I really want a piece of cake - have I exercised enough to make that okay? After all, I know I want to be healthy so it's a choice of whether I value the cake now more my health now and in the future.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    1. STOP saying you have no willpower. It's a cop out and not true.

    2. When your willpower (you DO have it) fails, don't say "I have no willpower" and throw in the towel. Just shake it off and get back on track. It WILL happen. You CAN get back on track after it does.
  • yherrman
    yherrman Posts: 19
    I am beginning by logging every single thing I put in my mouth. I was amazed at how I could mindlessly eat so many calories. I'll still have junk, like cake at my dad's birthday, but make sure I excersise as well. No matter how few calories I eat, I found I don't lose unless I excersise (I have hypothyroid). But I have found the excersise to be an essential thing for me. Keep coming here everyday, and read the success stories. It's the people who motivate more than anything else.
  • ShanR77
    ShanR77 Posts: 287 Member
    That's the problem. Saying no is hard. I love food. But i have been doing a lil better. But's still not that easy
  • ShanR77
    ShanR77 Posts: 287 Member
    its about changing your lifestyle, not going on a diet! build support networks, get pictures of how you want to look/photos you hate of yourself and stick them on your fridge or anywhere else you might snack!!

    Thanks i think i may try that.
  • ShanR77
    ShanR77 Posts: 287 Member
    Well you better get some! Would you walk into traffic? No! It's dangerous! Well pigging out all the time and never exercise kills too. Just slower! Tell yourself you are worth it, and that you love yourself, get off your butt and get to it! We will be here for you! Add me as a friend if you wish!

    Thanks and you're right. I am worth it. I looked into the C25K plan and am going to start it on Sunday and do it on my days off. Wish me luck :wink:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    That's the problem. Saying no is hard. I love food. But i have been doing a lil better. But's still not that easy

    Change is rarely easy. But it really does get easier. Try new healthy recipes to find new food to love. I love food too and there are a few junk foods that I still eat on occasion because I don't believe life is meant to be lived without treats. But I've learned to love a lot of healthy food too so I don't ever feel deprived. I never eat food I don't like because I don't want to waste calories that I could use for something I love.
  • coconutbuNZ
    coconutbuNZ Posts: 578 Member
    You have to get it from somewhere doll and it won't come from anywhere else but yourself. Set your mind. Make a decision. Make a commitment and stick to the plan. Don't beat yourself if you have a setback then start again.
  • dschavers
    dschavers Posts: 55 Member
    1. Make friends here for help and support.
    2. Change your food choices to healthier ones (a little at the time). You would be surprised at the hugh amount of food you can eat in a day if it is healthy food.
    3. Get up and move.
    4. Believe in yourself. YOU CAN DO IT!
  • what helps me when I am tempted to give in is to get away from food. Read the Bible, a good book, take a walk, work in the yard; anything that takes you away from food. My will power is none, "nada". If I give in, I know what I will look like in a very short period of time. It's much easier for me to diet and exercise if I have a buddy so ask a friend to help keep you on track. Good luck and God bless.
  • korsicash
    korsicash Posts: 770 Member
    Maybe you are not ready? As harsh as this sounds if you were ready to do something this important for you the will power would be there. I have dieted MANY time in the past to loose 6 lbs and give up. I finally said this is it I am ready and I stuck to my guns. Even exercising in ways I haven't in years. I don't think it is a sign of weakness that you have no will power I think it is a sign that mentally you are not prepared and have yet to commit to the life style change. Honestly with this site it makes life very easy set your calorie goal make little changes start with portions and how much water you drink. Little goals for you once you feel good about those set a new set. I thought my husband was absolutely cruel when he said "if you want it bad enough you will do it for yourself" He gave me no support just that line. I now understand he wasn't being mean he was being honest. I am the only one who could change me. You are the only one who can change you. You can have support and people to say GO YOU! but in the long run it has to be you to make the change for you. Good luck!!!!!!
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,206 Member
    strategy is stronger than willpower


    make a plan for the food you'll eat each day, post in in your food diary and stick to the plan. accept absolutely no deviation from the plan no matter how benign or how kind the person is who is offering you the food.


    :flowerforyou: the reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want the MOST for what they want at the MOMENT.


    find a plan for rewarding yourself and entertaining yourself that does not include food

    and read what everyone else has responded to you and take it to heart.
  • coconutbuNZ
    coconutbuNZ Posts: 578 Member
    I think we all have willpower but what we eat or don't eat is a CHOICE. All day, every day we make decisions and choose. It also depends on how much you want it - slim healthy body or just more and more bingeing and gaining more weight and feeling lousy physically, always tired, no energy? Sorry. Don't mean to sound harsh but this sort of thinking helps me every day to make the right choices and I'm only human, sometimes those choices are not the right ones! The other night for example, I ate an Easter egg, couldn't resist! But now I'm working doubly hard to pay for that egg lol.
  • That's the problem. Saying no is hard. I love food. But i have been doing a lil better. But's still not that easy

    Change is rarely easy. But it really does get easier. Try new healthy recipes to find new food to love. I love food too and there are a few junk foods that I still eat on occasion because I don't believe life is meant to be lived without treats. But I've learned to love a lot of healthy food too so I don't ever feel deprived. I never eat food I don't like because I don't want to waste calories that I could use for something I love.

    I totally agree with this! I had such a hard time saying no at first, but now I've found healthier options that I love and get really excited about! Lunch used to be McDonalds but now its a yummy chicken caesar salad! It's absolutely insane that I get cravings for SALAD. The world's biggest salad hater now likes salad. And instead of peanut Reese's butter cups (my all-time favorite), I found these awesome peanut butter protein bars from my doctor. And they don't taste like weird diet food at all! Just experiment and find stuff you like. There's so many things out there, you just have to find them! I'm finding new stuff every week. Don't give up! You'll figure out what works best for you! Good luck!
  • feel free to add me. support is a big factor
  • ShanR77
    ShanR77 Posts: 287 Member
    strategy is stronger than willpower


    make a plan for the food you'll eat each day, post in in your food diary and stick to the plan. accept absolutely no deviation from the plan no matter how benign or how kind the person is who is offering you the food.


    :flowerforyou: the reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want the MOST for what they want at the MOMENT.


    find a plan for rewarding yourself and entertaining yourself that does not include food

    and read what everyone else has responded to you and take it to heart.

    Thanks so much for the advice. I've always wrote my food journal as i went instead of planning it out.
  • violetsue
    violetsue Posts: 54 Member
    Planning ahead is definitely key.

    Shop smart.
    Keep plenty of low cal snacks around so if you get a craving, you won't rack up a bunch of unhealthy calories.

    Hang in there. It's hard for all of us.
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
    Try to let go of the idea of willpower for now. Change one thing at a time. If you eat an unhealthy (or no) breakfast, then make it over until you have a good one that's nutritious and satisfying. It will help you the rest of the day.

    Or if it's easier to start drinking water and tracking that, do that.

    Don't take on too much at once. It's easier to incorporate new habits for a brief period than to give up all of your "bad" habits while trying to be "good."

    So many people start with good intentions and overdo it, then end up giving up. Try to make small changes at first, see if it makes a difference.

    Best of luck!
  • bellygoaway
    bellygoaway Posts: 441 Member
    First of all, stop trying to diet. You have to change your life style. For me, seeing the calorie total go up as I ate provided me the mental "ammo" to shut my mouth before putting more food in it. I am not trying to diet, I am trying to change the way I look at eating. Even if you don't "exercise" start taking short walks of 5 minutes or so to start. I try to spend at least 20 minutes of my lunch hour walking a few times a week.

    If I can loose 9 pounds in under 4 weeks, so can you.

    Good luck, & God speed!
  • vade43113
    vade43113 Posts: 836 Member
    try this... create a list of all the reasons you don't want to fail again. and all the reasons you want to succeed.

    when you got those two lists up, place a goal.... keep it simple, like lose five pounds, or walk a mile for five days.

    when you succeed on a goal, celebrate with something non food related. equal too the work it took to complete the goal Go out to a movie, Dancing, buy a pair of jeans you like. Play put put golf... anything, the sky is the limit
  • cass0702
    cass0702 Posts: 3
    I can understand that. I have always fallen off of the wagon as well. Here's my tips:

    1. Make it a numbers game and treat your calories like cash. I have taken all emotion out of the equation and have basically said It 'doesn't matter how much i want it, if I can't afford it then I can't have it, it's THAT simple. Let MFP keep you accountable and be proud of yourself when you come in under your calories. If you do exceed them either do some exercise or skim off a few calories over the next few days to balance it.

    2. Check your calories BEFORE you eat something. I ate a vegetarian pastry at a party the other day thinking it would be a better choice than party pies and sausage rolls. When I went to log it on my phone (if you can use the phone app, you can log anywhere, anytime!) it was 380 calories! That's a whole meals worth in one pastry! I nearly cried but it made me aware of what I was eating and if I hadn't been making myself accountable I could have easily eaten over a days worth of calories in pastry! It turned me off majorly knowing how many calories I had just wasted on one product!

    3. Save up your calories if you have an event coming up. I have a bridal shower today that I am going to so yesterday I saved myself about 300 cals in credit so I could use it today which means I can indulge a little more. Also at the other party I went to with the pastry I also ate one large cupcake but the difference was that I had already looked at all the desserts and picked one thing that I wanted the most and then allowed the calories for it. I didn't feel deprived at all and came home feeling much better than if I had pigged out. You also tend to appreciate the treats a lot more rather than just if you were just scoffing junk and hardly tasting it.

    4. Drink lots of water!

    5. Don't let yourself get starving because that's when you will crave high fat and high sugar products. Keep your body satisfied and the cravings will greatly reduce.

    6. I like to remind myself of this saying..... 'In a years time, you'll have wished you started today.' A year will pass whether we lose our weight or not but it's not a long time and will come around quicker than we think!

    7. Take pride in updating your ticker. I'm stoked to see mine slowly moving down towards my goal weight. I have a long way to go but it's so exciting!

    You will find that there's no magic way to stop the cravings or temptations you simply have to ride out that short time where you really want it but for me treating it like cash has been the major game changer. We eat the crap to fill an emotional need.. take the emotion out and it becomes a lot easier. You will also find that you will want to get value for money and after a while you will want to choose lower cal options and will crave less junk. It's just about spending wisely the same way you'd budget your paycheck. Good luck!
  • yep its hard but you can do it.... the first day i joined MFP I logged every bit of junk I ate and I mean everything I then started calorie counting the next day. when I feel like I my will power is lacking I compare day 1 to day 2 and see how much more food I can actually eat rather then a bunch of empty calories..
  • Any idea WHY you have no will power. I am in the same boat too but I am an emotional eater and when my life does downhill, I find myself engaging in mindless eating.....I can graze and pop anything in my mouth and don't even recognize that I have done it until the deed is done.
    I am finding that brushing my teeth is helping me and if i can't do that, chew gum....anything to stop to popping the bad stuff in your mouth.
    Give it a try.....can't hurt.
    And be prepared to write EVERYTHING you eat down....it can be a spoonful of peanut butter from the jar, count it....I find if I do that, the calories add up fast..seeing the calories disappear quickly can stop you fast too!
    Don't give up...we've all done that before. Not worth it!