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increasing willpower?
I am trying to workout at least 20 min a day and I am calorie counting. On a strict 1200 calorie or less diet (I am very, very short and have less than 20 lbs to lose) but I find I build my willpower up for awhile and then it fades super quick. I start having periods where I just break out and give up/cheat. I don't work out one day, I eat way too many calories the next. It is so hard to control myself. Any advice from people who are able to control themselves well and can reignite their willpower at moments of weakness?
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Posted 1/7/16 8:57 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource |
Dolphinsbaby
My 3 little guys!
Member since 12/10 2943 total posts
Name:
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Re: increasing willpower?
I don't have any real advice. What I've been trying to do and has been working for 3 days so far ( ) is really try to listen to my body. I have been more aware when I feel the moments of weakness coming on (stomach growling, etc.). I made a pact to myself to have a drink (an entire drink) when I feel this. I have been drinking cans of flavored seltzer. I then allow it 20 minutes and if I still feel the urge, I will try to snack on something healthy.
But honestly the drinking has filled the urge. I don't know if it's mental and because I am intaking something I just feel better. We all know we don't drink enough and even with me doing this I'm still not drinking enough. Of course I am peeing constantly now!
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| Posted 1/7/16 10:12 PM |
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Pomegranate5
LIF Adult
Member since 2/11 4798 total posts
Name:
Pomegranate5
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Re: increasing willpower?
The only thing that has ever worked for me is to set very small, reasonable goals. Start slow and build from there. That way if and when I fell off the wagon it wasn't a huge fall, and not a big deal picking up where I left off.
Over the past three years I've set and reached several long term weight and fitness goals, but it required a LOT of smaller short term goals along the way. Every time I accomplished a small thing it gave me the motivation to start working toward the next step.
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| Posted 1/8/16 1:39 PM |
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Jonsgirl04
Love my two girls! xoxo
Member since 9/08 6079 total posts
Name:
Stephanie
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Re: increasing willpower?
I have no will power either..I want to have it but I don't. I am always so tired...It makes me so upset because I know I want to lose all this weight I gained but then I have days where I eat horribly and make an excuse to why I m eating the stuff I do!! I wish someone could hypnotize me and say...Stephanie you love healthy food and LOVE working out!! haha!!
Seriously need to get off my @ss and stop making excuses and just do it. I am going to try hard starting Monday. Even if it starts with 20 mintues walking on the treadmill at least its something. I have to do it in baby steps and slowly increase my workout.
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| Posted 1/8/16 1:45 PM |
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Funkybutt
LIF Adult
Member since 4/15 3049 total posts
Name:
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increasing willpower?
One thing I try to remember is the thread on this board - "thin/fit girls". The thread is about stupid comments people make to them about how easy people think it is to be thin, but almost everyone there said that they have to work really hard (diet & exercise) to be where they are.
I try to be mindful of my situation - I've taken the easy way my whole life - eat whatever I want with little exercise.... and I'm 50 pounds over weight. I have to try to remember that to be where I want to be, I can't be lazy anymore and that even small changes are positive changes.
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| Posted 1/8/16 2:55 PM |
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racheK
Hudson's Momma
Member since 10/10 2853 total posts
Name:
Rachel
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increasing willpower?
This is just my opinion. You may be being too hard on yourself--it sounds like you have a TON of willpower already but may not be able to sustain this low calorie diet,, working out every day etc. because you aren't giving yourself any wiggle room. And feeling guilty for one day that you aren't perfect! Nobody has the willpower to be "perfect"--and if they do, they won't be able to sustain it long enough and will gain the weight back eventually. Are you sure you are eating enough? I know you said you are short but if you are working out, your calorie intake be upped. Have you worked with a nutritionist to get here?
BTW, this is coming from someone that calorie restricted so much that I ended up in an eating disorder clinic. And I wasn't that skinny when I was doing it but I was shutting my body down. I had no energy and was irritable consuming 1200 calories a day. I happen to love working out so I do it 6 days a week now (I'm also 26 weeks pregnant) and eat healthy but I don't beat myself up about "cheating" and maybe just not having the energy to exercise one day.
I think you need to give yourself some credit and think if you can sustain this into the future. Because if you can't, you will end up gaining back the weight you lost during this time. I don't diet anymore but stay at a same weight (well, when I'm not pregnant) because I have an exercise regimen I love and eating healthy food most of the time so that I don't feel like I'm missing out.
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| Posted 1/8/16 3:04 PM |
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Re: increasing willpower?
Posted by racheK
This is just my opinion. You may be being too hard on yourself--it sounds like you have a TON of willpower already but may not be able to sustain this low calorie diet,, working out every day etc. because you aren't giving yourself any wiggle room. And feeling guilty for one day that you aren't perfect! Nobody has the willpower to be "perfect"--and if they do, they won't be able to sustain it long enough and will gain the weight back eventually. Are you sure you are eating enough? I know you said you are short but if you are working out, your calorie intake be upped. Have you worked with a nutritionist to get here?
BTW, this is coming from someone that calorie restricted so much that I ended up in an eating disorder clinic. And I wasn't that skinny when I was doing it but I was shutting my body down. I had no energy and was irritable consuming 1200 calories a day. I happen to love working out so I do it 6 days a week now (I'm also 26 weeks pregnant) and eat healthy but I don't beat myself up about "cheating" and maybe just not having the energy to exercise one day.
I think you need to give yourself some credit and think if you can sustain this into the future. Because if you can't, you will end up gaining back the weight you lost during this time. I don't diet anymore but stay at a same weight (well, when I'm not pregnant) because I have an exercise regimen I love and eating healthy food most of the time so that I don't feel like I'm missing out.
Thank you for this. When I was in college, 19 and 100 lbs, my body also starting shutting down. I was exercising off so many calories and just not eating. I started to lose my hair, feel lethargic, etc. because I had no nutrients. All the doctor said at that time was "eat. dont starve yourself" and i took that to an extreme to feel like i deserved to eat whatever I wanted. By the time graduation rolled around and i entered grad school, I was 130 lbs and disgusted with myself. I was able to get to 115 for my wedding but at that point i wasnt exercising so i look back at my pictures and I am disappointed. Then I got pregnant, was 145 lbs the day I gave birth. Got back down to 115 but am unhappy with the look of it. I realize exercise is more important, it is good for the heart and for strength, energy, body tone, etc. I've started to enjoy calorie counting and cutting out bad foods most of the time. I def. cheat and have lots of bad stuff too though. I gained more weight and decided I want to TRY to get back to 100 lbs but in a healthy way this time. I have less than 15 lbs to lose to get there, but it is very hard and I really need to have more of a religious exercise routine. but as a poor stay at home mom with no help, I usually resort to the usual 20 minute dvd or 30 min run outside while pushing her in the stroller but i am just not active enough. I'd love to find a more active lifestyle and be able to do other things I love like rock climbing, barre classes, hot yoga, etc. but time and money is hard to come by now. as well as discipline.
Thanks to everyone elses comments as well. I def. realize now its small steps and sometimes even day by day steps. I just want to keep myself from giving up and splurging on food I didn't actually want to waste calories on and ignoring exercise. I want this to start feeling more natural and being my usual level of fitness and health.
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| Posted 1/11/16 2:00 PM |
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Mags1227
Just a mommy ...
Member since 10/10 2665 total posts
Name:
M
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Re: increasing willpower?
things that are helping me this time around:
taking it one day at a time (i only have to make it through until bedtime, not forever. so much easier!)
smaller, achievable goals (i don't feel defeated when it's just a small goal)
having a partner! (i'm making DH exercise with me. on the days i don't feel like it, i do it just because i know he won't do it without me)
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| Posted 1/11/16 2:17 PM |
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queensgal
Smile
Member since 4/09 3287 total posts
Name:
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Re: increasing willpower?
Maybe you need to think about your goal. Honestly 100 lb for an adult, even petite, is a very low number. If you struggled and were healthy to be this weight in college in early 20s, I'm just not sure that's a healthy goal for a mom and someone older. It's natural to gain and harder to lose as you age.
I think you are being too restricted and hard on yourself. I had successful weight loss allowing one cheat day. I was very healthy all week and sat or sun I had some wine, extra food, etc. I needed it to balance.
I've also come to accept I will never be my high school or college weight. It wasn't healthy then. It would make me unhappy now.
For me, happy is most important.
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| Posted 1/12/16 6:49 AM |
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PhyllisNJoe
My Box Is Broken
Member since 6/11 9145 total posts
Name:
Phyllis
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Re: increasing willpower?
Posted by Mags1227
things that are helping me this time around:
taking it one day at a time (i only have to make it through until bedtime, not forever. so much easier!)
smaller, achievable goals (i don't feel defeated when it's just a small goal)
me)
This is what I'm doing. Taking it one day at a time has been huge. I literally just make it to the end of the day and feel good that I didn't stray. It's not about next Friday or by Tuesday of next week.... It's just today.
I'm also going wih smaller goals. First it was eating better foods. Then it was less of those foods and now it's a restricted calorie diet. As of today, I'm adding some exercise. I'm getting there. Slowly. I want to lose 25 lbs. but 8-10 lbs at a time. What I'm doing now with diet is not something I can stick to long term, so my plan is to do this until the 8-10 lb loss. Then maintain by upping my calories. Do that a couple weeks , the. Restrict again for a 5 lb loss. Then back to maintaining. During maintenance - I'll be working out a bit more - strength training.
This is the plan. Now let's see if I have the willpower to do it!!
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| Posted 1/12/16 8:56 AM |
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PitterPatter11
Baby Boy is Here!
Member since 5/11 7619 total posts
Name:
Momma <3
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increasing willpower?
If you are being too restrictive, you'll just set yourself up for failure. I usually have a small treat each day (100 calories bananas dipped in chocolate) are my favorite!
I do not know your height, but 115 seems tiny as a pp stated. What exactly are you not happy with? Lifting weights might help you target areas making them more defined.
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| Posted 1/12/16 12:43 PM |
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Re: increasing willpower?
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
This is what I'm doing. Taking it one day at a time has been huge. I literally just make it to the end of the day and feel good that I didn't stray. It's not about next Friday or by Tuesday of next week.... It's just today.
I'm also going wih smaller goals. First it was eating better foods. Then it was less of those foods and now it's a restricted calorie diet. As of today, I'm adding some exercise. I'm getting there. Slowly. I want to lose 25 lbs. but 8-10 lbs at a time. What I'm doing now with diet is not something I can stick to long term, so my plan is to do this until the 8-10 lb loss. Then maintain by upping my calories. Do that a couple weeks , the. Restrict again for a 5 lb loss. Then back to maintaining. During maintenance - I'll be working out a bit more - strength training.
This is the plan. Now let's see if I have the willpower to do it!!
those are good goals that is kind of what i am looking to do. i want to just lose this weight and maintain anywhere between 100 and 110 but have better tools to do so now. and just feel different from the inside out.
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| Posted 1/12/16 1:18 PM |
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alli3131
Peanut is here!!!!!!
Member since 5/09 18388 total posts
Name:
Allison
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Re: increasing willpower?
Posted by queensgal
Maybe you need to think about your goal. Honestly 100 lb for an adult, even petite, is a very low number. If you struggled and were healthy to be this weight in college in early 20s, I'm just not sure that's a healthy goal for a mom and someone older. It's natural to gain and harder to lose as you age.
I think you are being too restricted and hard on yourself. I had successful weight loss allowing one cheat day. I was very healthy all week and sat or sun I had some wine, extra food, etc. I needed it to balance.
I've also come to accept I will never be my high school or college weight. It wasn't healthy then. It would make me unhappy now.
For me, happy is most important.
I agree with this. I think you need to not focus on a number on the scale but more on body composition. Check out the bikini Body guide and check out Kayla Itines on instragram. Look at the transformations for people on the program. It will show you that you can actually be leaner at a higher weight than being thin at 100 lbs.
I am 5' tall and if I was 100 lbs I would look sick and I'm thinking the same might be true for others. I have a smaller frame also.
any successful plan is about balance. You cannot cut out everything and think that you will never fall off the wagon.....its about the rebound. So cheat one day and pick back up the next day. Short term goals!!
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| Posted 1/12/16 1:38 PM |
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