5 key points in learning to use willpower.
Think of willpower as another muscle. So as a muscle we need to practice using it to make ourselves stronger, in every way possible.
Willpower in my personal opinion is the main key to overcoming self sabotage of any sort. Today as we focus more on a health and food aspect. As in not looking after ourselves. Such as over eating, not eating enough. Or not training or exercising when we know we should. Or not drinking enough water. We all have a basic knowingness within ourselves of what we should be doing or not be doing. We all have this knowingness to not eat certain unhealthy foods, or to eat healthy foods. Yes we are able to eat not so healthy foods in moderation. However, the trick is to practice your will power to ensure you eat in moderation. Then of course exercise for your health.
Now I’m not a believer in diets in any way at all. There is no quick fix to “be” healthy or slimmer. I do believe that we should listen to our own bodies and eat what’s right for you and what makes you feel healthy inside. At the end of the day we are here for a life long journey. So does it not make sense to eat real foods that fuel and nourish our body. This way it enable’s our longevity and provide’s us with more energy and health.
So how do we go from eating processed quick easy foods to only or on most occasions eating clean heathy foods? By practicing and using our willpower to do what’s right for our bodies.
Again, by practicing to use your willpower. Willpower after all is just another muscle.
Willpower like any muscles and like our mental strength strenghens and weakens. When you tired your willpower will weaken. Also when we’ve had to practice using willpower to often it will weaken. This amazing audiobook below helped me a great deal with practicing will power
Here are 5 Key Point’s that help me
1. Get plenty of sleep. If you’ve got an IPhone set your bedtime reminder to get to bed on time. You need a decent amount of sleep so your brain can function properly and think clearly. It is on my days from lack of sleep that I’m more prone to mental weakness and prone to emotionally eating. Also get to bed at a decent time before your tummy starts rumbling again. If my tummy starts rumbling ill have a cup of tea to calm it.
2. Plan your meals for the day. Write down in a journal or diary a plan of your day and times of when you are going to eat. Then set timers in your phone of meal times. I also set my alarm to drink water if I keep forgetting.
Plan out everything the day ahead.
3. Feed yourself first. Before you make meals for your family, before you go to the shops if shopping. Eat BEFORE you go so you are mentally ready and prepared. I feed myself before my children. (To some that may seem selfish. However my children are old enough to explain that mummy is training for comp and that we don’t want a hangry mum lol). When they were younger I wuld eat while they were playing. I never go to the shops or out anywhere hungry. I don’t want to risk being hungry. When you are hungry your brain power will weaken. It is the so much harder to remember to practice using willpower
4. Practicing using Willpower. Again willpower is another muscle that gets stronger the more we use it. They discuss this in the above audiobook. That when you have an urge to eat something that you know you shouldn’t that isn’t in your meal plan try this. Simply choose to wait 10 minutes. Remind yourself to wait only 10 minutes. And yes you can do this and yes it does work and yes it does help. Demand of yourself to wait 10 minutes, and that you are not going to die in 10 minutes if you don’t eat right now. It does works.
5. Be nice to yourself. Be your own best friend. You need to be strong and be nice to yourself. Tell yourself something like ‘good girl’ or ‘I’m proud of you’ or ‘ I knew you could do it’. Talk to yourself as you would a little child or your own inner child. You have to literally talk yourself through it. Baby steps, one step at a time and winning against yourself one step at a time. The urge does pass and then go and make a healthy option to eat or have your planned meal.
Remember, that learning to use your Willpower is something you practice every day. Not only while you are learning it. But every day for a few months or even years until its a ground in habit that you never have to think about.
If you need more accountability ask friends or family to support you. Ask friends or even a stranger to join with you to exercise together.
Practicing willpower is not a chore. This is something that you are choosing to do. If you are reading this, there is a part of you that wants to be strong willed. That craves discipline. Choose right now and decide that ‘I am dedicated to practicing my willpower every day in every way!’.
If you do mess up don’t punish yourself. Forgive yourself and move on. Be nice to yourself, love yourself and be your own best friend. Remember that using Willpower is a choice. This is something that you choose to practice so choose to love the journey. xx
