When you use your willpower all day long it grows tired and weary so at night it can lose its gusto & strength! So where to start….remove all temptation or what I like to call ‘trigger’ foods from the house or environment right away. Give that food to the neighbors; throw it in the trash, or something else to get rid of it without eating it. Keep the following triggers out of sight and out of mind:
- Food you know you can’t limit to one serving.
- Food primarily refined in carbohydrates and sugar low in fiber.
- Food you use to manage stress or uncomfortable emotions.
If you are reluctant to get rid of certain foods because you feel it is an inconvenience to the family, remember that unhealthy food is unhealthy for everybody. Just because someone is in a healthy weight range doesn’t mean they don’t need to achieve or maintain HEALTH! If you really believe that you are depriving other people in your house of cookies, candy, or junk food, they can always eat them away from the home. If you are out and about and come face-to-face with a ‘trigger’ food, then you may need to draw on some willpower. The more you will your way through the barriers the stronger you become & the willpower muscle grows!
Lockdown and the entire pandemic situation really changed my anxiety level. I started losing control of my emotions. Once I got a prescription for Valium, it got better. I only take it when needed, on the most stressful days. It calms me down fast. I try to find other permanent solutions but this medication is also a good help.
Make your willpower positive! Try to avoid saying no all the time as it weakens your resistance. Instead, visualize yourself achieving your goal—what does it look like? What are you hearing? What are you doing?—or add-in a healthy action. Remember, to focus on your actions to push your forward: exercise, drink water, put money in a new clothes jar, etc. Now matter what don’t beat yourself up! Take awareness of what happened if you faltered and set your mind to what you will change next time!You deserve it!
Tell me below how you will grow your willpower muscle.