topic Re: Weight loss and will power in Community Chat

Weight loss and will power

Peaches McPhee — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 19:28:05 GMT

I need a mental overhaul regarding weight loss. I know all about calories, exercise, fats, carbs, etc., but I have zero will power. I cannot say no to a donut, a french fry, or a starch.

Does anyone have any experience or tips or suggestions on how to improve will power, so I can make the choices that I know are correct? I know it is all in my head, but it is really real, and does affect my body.

Re: Weight loss and will power

deepwaterdotter — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 19:35:30 GMT

I find that keeping a daily food diary of everything I eat keeps me 'on the straight and narrow.' I allot myself a certain number of calories each day, when the limit is reached, I'm done eating that day. I also try to include choices that are high in protein, they make me feel full longer. Hot liquids also give me that full feeling. After a few weeks of limiting my intake of carbohydrates (due to diabetes), I found I didn't crave them very often. Best of luck with your weight loss.

Re: Weight loss and will power

hopi — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 19:49:16 GMT

@Peaches McPhee

deepwater has offered some great advice but dieting is a lifetime battle as you know.

Don't be so hard on yourself about will power - it' not you. The are lots of things that cause the problem but everyday is a struggle and all you can do is try your best. You could have a high yeast count and that just makes your body scream hungry taking oregano oil capsules a couple of times of day to help with yeast. I do believe you probably know everything about dieting like so many of us do but joining a group like Weight Watchers makes you accountable to yourself and the group. They have multiple easy ways to track and a point system that allows you to eat anything and stay on task. Good luck your continuing journey it's not an easy one. But being in a group lets you know you are not alone.

Re: Weight loss and will power

RetRN — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 19:45:42 GMT

Sorry I can't be of any help, weight loss is incredibly difficult to achieve IMHO.

Re: Weight loss and will power

beckyb1012 — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 19:46:58 GMT

My son cooks me a huge lunch and I bring dessert every month. His meals are heavy and high calorie and my sweets are as well. We all spend that day eating and visiting all day long, so that is my free day I do not hold back or count anything in calories. The rest of the month I just work "daily" for those monthly days and any big family holidays that come up. Thanksgiving, Christmas, SuperBowl ect......

I indulge only on special occasions because my mind has learned to not want to squander the hard work I put into my work-out for just any old thing I see in passing.

I like to work out and eat good toward a goal in mind and NOT make-up for over eating or indulging after the fact.

This is a daily battle with all the fast food ect...... on the way home. Good Luck. Do not exercise for the doughnut but for the joy to have one if you so desire.

Re: Weight loss and will power

ID2 — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 19:49:23 GMT

Eat less, exercise more, weigh yourself every single morning....guaranteed weight loss.

Re: Weight loss and will power

straykatz — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 19:55:54 GMT

@Peaches McPhee wrote:
I need a mental overhaul regarding weight loss. I know all about calories, exercise, fats, carbs, etc., but I have zero will power. I cannot say no to a donut, a french fry, or a starch.

Does anyone have any experience or tips or suggestions on how to improve will power, so I can make the choices that I know are correct? I know it is all in my head, but it is really real, and does affect my body.

It's becoming common knowledge that the more bad carbs/sweets you eat the more you crave them. The 1st step is to eliminate refined sugars and carbs....after a while you will stop wanting them and be satisfied with a piece of fruit or something savory instead.

Also...find other ways to treat yourself - reward yourself with non-food items.

Re: Weight loss and will power

Sister Golden Hair — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:01:52 GMT

@Peaches McPhee wrote:
I need a mental overhaul regarding weight loss. I know all about calories, exercise, fats, carbs, etc., but I have zero will power. I cannot say no to a donut, a french fry, or a starch.

Does anyone have any experience or tips or suggestions on how to improve will power, so I can make the choices that I know are correct? I know it is all in my head, but it is really real, and does affect my body.

Your main goal is to eat healthy. Don't go on a diet, most of the time it doesn't work.

I think the word "DIET" makes you think of all the things you can't eat.

You need to think about all the health problems that come with being overweight.

Don't stop eating the things that you really love.

If you love chocolate, buy the mini ones and have one a day.

A lot of sugar is one of the first things that you can stop.

You will feel better too.

You must eat protein foods that will stay with you.

Don't skip meals.

Do this one day at a time.

I do weigh myself every day which I know a lot of people say not to do.

For me, I want to be around for my family.

Re: Weight loss and will power

GCR18 — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:13:12 GMT

Start out by removing the starches from your kitchen, then don't buy them anymore. Have a plan for each meal, don't wing it. You can cook soups to last the week, etc. Don't go grocery shopping hungry. I like to go at 8am or earlier and I only buy what's on my list.

Re: Weight loss and will power

GSPgirl — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:18:02 GMT

I made a decision that I was never going back to thto way I was eating. I am a life long member with Weight Watchers. I know I will always have to count points and watch what I eat. I think that's the problem for most people because they don't want to be held accountable for every morsel they eat. Sorry, but that's the way it is. I don't want to go back to my heavier self ever! I got rid of the menopause belly and don't intend to go back to that. There is no big secret. Just find a plan and stick with it for a lifetime. YouI will love yourself and feel so proud.

Re: Weight loss and will power

SaRina — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:20:06 GMT

@straykatz wrote:
@Peaches McPhee wrote:
I need a mental overhaul regarding weight loss. I know all about calories, exercise, fats, carbs, etc., but I have zero will power. I cannot say no to a donut, a french fry, or a starch.

Does anyone have any experience or tips or suggestions on how to improve will power, so I can make the choices that I know are correct? I know it is all in my head, but it is really real, and does affect my body.
It's becoming common knowledge that the more bad carbs/sweets you eat the more you crave them. The 1st step is to eliminate refined sugars and carbs....after a while you will stop wanting them and be satisfied with a piece of fruit or something savory instead.

Also...find other ways to treat yourself - reward yourself with non-food items.

Adding to this, it's pretty well known that carbs cause an insulin release, which is largely responsible for fat (weight) gain. You can google carb sensitivity for more detailed explanation. So, if your meals are largely carbs, it sets up a vicious cycle throughout the day of constant insulin release and, therefore, constant hunger.

I finally discovered the answer for myself, which is eating lean protein at every meal. This is a must. And the more protein you eat, the less hungry you will feel. I eat primarily protein for breakfast and lunch (with vegetables), then add carbs at dinner. I am rarely hungry. Once or twice a week, I reward myself with my favorite treats. This has been highly successful for me as a weight loss and maintenance program for the past several years.

Re: Weight loss and will power

MaggieMack — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:21:50 GMT

I joined a group with friends a year ago to do a 30-day clean eating program. No sugar, no dairy, no gluten, no soy, only fruits that had the word berry in them. And anything you wanted to eat that wasn't excluded. We were encouraged to eat the right things freely. Everyone lost weight, the ones needing to lose the most lost the most. We had a closed group on FB that we would share stories on every day. The most amazing thing to me was that we all lost that urge to shove stuff down our throats all the time after a few days.

Those that remained gluten free have kept the weight off, which is what I did. The others who went back to bread, bagels, pasta, etc., have gained the weight back. Having read a number of books on gluten in the past several months, I have learned that gluten suppresses the satiety button in our brains. The more we eat, the more we want to eat. Gluten kills your willpower.

i would suggest you find a couple of friends to take the weight loss journey with you, go on a clean eating program (Arbonne has the best one out there IMO), and when you're done with the program, remain gluten free. If you are successful, your self esteem and love for your life will skyrocket. Best wishes for your success!

Re: Weight loss and will power

skuggles — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:27:19 GMT

Get a scale and weigh yourself every day. Learn correct portions for the foods you eat. Understand healthy calorie requirements for age and sexfor both weight loss and maintenance. Then finally, practice portion control. If you want to indulge go ahead, but swap it out for some other equivalent calorie amount in the day. i lost a good amount of weight over the past three years, and that portion control thing is key. You can still have what you want, but in correct portion size.

Re: Weight loss and will power

NoelSeven — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:44:29 GMT

There are good suggestions for you on this topic. I have one more...

While you're busy organizing yourself, start changing the way you eat and what you eat. There are wonderful skinny/healthy food bloggers online, I can give you a couple of names and links if you wish.

You WILL feel better if you do and you will learn how to make food that's not only better for your body, but that's packed with flavor.

You CAN have food that goes with the seasons and the holidays, not to mention Asian or Mexican food if you like.

Example from one of my favorite bloggers:

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/09/pumpkin-nut-muffins.html

Re: Weight loss and will power

HULAGIRL — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:48:35 GMT

I'm a lifetime WW memeber, but the problem is I always gained the weight back.......in 2012 I started Jenny Craig and haven't lookd back......somehow it clicked and worked for me!!!

Re: Weight loss and will power

Lipstickdiva — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:50:35 GMT

@NoelSeven I'd love if you would share the links.

I'm beginning to think I need to have my mouth wired shut!

Re: Weight loss and will power

June222 — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:54:43 GMT

Honestly, for me it is eating right for my health....not a size or how I look in clothes. I never kept the weight off after years of yo yoing until I wanted to only feed my body Health. I quit smoking the same way 25 years ago. When I no longer wanted chemicals in my body quiting was easier. It is mental like you said....you have to have power over the choices you make. And think about how everything you ingest is what your body makes YOU out of. An apple or a cookie? You know the answer and your body will thank you for the right choice.

Re: Weight loss and will power

violann — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:54:05 GMT

I think that motivation is more important than will power.

My motivation was my desire to be the healthiest grandparent I could be.

I omitted all grain, all dairy, all added salt and all added sgar from my meals. I eat mostly low carb veggies, berries or green apples, eggs, and nuts.

I love what I eat, and the cravings for what I DON'T eat vanished about two days after I started.

Re: Weight loss and will power

Goldengate8361 — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 21:01:07 GMT

Everybody is different. That's why it's always hard to give advice to others about something so personal. I lost over 90 lbs about 12 months ago and I've had no problem in keeping it off. I simply changed the way I eat. I don't eat ANY sugar and I avoid as many carbs as possible. For me, this works beautifully. I'm not someone who can just eat moderate little portions and be done. I'm either "in" or "not" about things. Moderation is not in my vocabulary. I can fully appreciate that for some people. moderation is key.

The biggest motivation that's always worked for me is that I remind myself that sugar/carbs make you fat--and fat is associated with diabetes and cancer. My mom had both of these and, sadly, she passed away 5 years ago. Hence, those health concerns are very real to me. Sugar and carbs completely lose their appeal when you think of it that way--which is, by the way, factual.

Re: Weight loss and will power

chickenbutt — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 21:05:43 GMT

Honestly, I find that the thing with 'will power' is that you just have to do it. The more you do the right thing the easier it gets. You just need to jump right in the next time you are faced with a temptation and decline it. Then the next time and the next time. Pretty soon it's a lot easier. But every time you break, you have to start over.

It's just like stopping to smoke cigarettes. The longer you don't do it the better it gets but when you blow it, then you are back to step one and that's a bummer.

Just do it! You'll feel better about it the more you take charge.