Why Willpower Fails
Do you feel like you just don’t have enough willpower to control sugar cravings and emotional eating? Have you told yourself,
“Just say no!”
“I need more willpower!”
“I can’t have _____”
But the reality is that when we behave with that kind of avoidance mentality, where we’re exerting so much energy to STOP and NOT and CONTROL our actions, willpower will eventually fail. And then you swing in the other direction — totally out-of-control eating that makes you feel crazy, then guilty.
Total deprivation, then off-the-rails binges, then guilt and shame. This is where the willpower cycle gets you. That’s why willpower fails.
So instead, I want to offer you a change in perspective:
Willpower isn’t what you need more of – it’s actually the problem. Willpower doesn’t change your Normal.
Why Willpower Fails
Instead of trapping yourself inside the mental and emotional prison of “denying yourself” and “holding out” and “powering through”,
put yourself in the place of “I can make any choice I want right now.” Right this second, what will I do?
If the cookies are calling you, don’t try to swear off them forever and ever. Don’t put yourself in the emotional jail of “Absolutely not, I can’t have those.” Just put your grownup pants on and ask yourself “What am I going to do right this second?”
- Maybe you decide to wait 5 minutes before you make any eating decisions.
- Maybe you use the Healthy Substitutions or the 10-second ‘What do you really want?’ tools from your Sugar Free Me course.
- Maybe you decide that the best thing for you right this second is to drink a glass of water, take a deep breath, and do a few jumping jacks or neck stretches.
- Maybe you decide that you really will eat a cookie, and as long as you do it on purpose and you’re wearing your grownup pants, that’s ok.
Whatever you choose, do it from a place of “I CAN” or “I’M DECIDING TO,” instead of “I cannot” or “I’m not allowed.”
You’re the boss.
You make your own decisions every second of every day.
Nobody or nothing “makes” you anything.
Repeat after me: “Willpower doesn’t change anything.”CHANGING WHAT YOU USUALLY DO is what changes things!
This is the first step in creating a New Normal.
Alternatives to Willpower Failing You
You don’t have to starve yourself, be restricted, battle cravings, or feel constantly deprived.
You simply have to eat in a way that supports your health and fat loss goals.
It’s time to face the facts — > There is no ‘diet’ that can do what eating healthy does.
Willpower fails. Healthy eating doesn’t.
And if you need help putting together healthy nutrition plans, and if you need some daily accountability and support, just email me and we’ll talk about options.
