Wish you had more willpower?
Wish you had more willpower? Willpower to say no the chocolate brownie? Willpower to say yes to some extra physical activity? Well, get ready to strengthen your willpower!
When I think about willpower, I'm thinking about our self-control that gives us the ability to say no to a short-term temptation, like dessert, in order to meet our long term goals of maintaining a healthy weight and staying active for years into the future.
Most women will mention a lack of willpower as the #1 reason they have difficulty reaching their health and fitness goals. So, what can we do?
Here are a few tips to help strengthen your willpower.
1. Know why you want to make the change. This is what I call "Why Power" and it is far more powerful and reliable than willpower alone.
2. Make it easier on yourself and hide the temptations. If you're tempted by the chocolate chip cookies sitting on the counter (and who isn't?) then move them to the pantry - I personally like the top shelf which requires a step stool to get to them.
3. Have an "if-then" plan. Have you ever made the decision on Monday morning that you are going to eat healthy today and then someone invites you to lunch for pizza or brings cookies to the office? Often our early morning decision is gone by lunchtime (if not sooner). Expect these situations to occur and have a plan for how you will handle BEFORE it happens.
4. Start with small changes. You're expecting a lot of your willpower when you decide to go for a complete overhaul overnight. Honestly, those never last. Start small and create consistency with one mini goal at a time.
5. Don't forget to reward yourself as you hit each of these mini-goals. Just avoid food as your reward. Instead, go for a peaceful walk, get a massage, read a book, or go shopping. Pick something that will feel like a reward and a nice payoff for your hard work.
I hope these tips will help you get started as you strengthen your willpower. For more info, please check out my blog at https://kimadevall.com/willpower and also find out the role of self-discipline.