What to do if you don't have the willpower to lose weight
Tips on how to lose weight are easy to find - they are waiting for you in every book about weight loss, in every blog about healthy eating and in every story of someone you know trying to lose weight. It's just hard to find ones that really work.
Psychologists know about eating disorders, problems with willpower, and the guilt that those who lose weight feel after a breakdown during a diet. We'll tell you what tricks will help you trick your insatiable brain and lose those extra pounds.
Movement is life
Some people find it difficult to force themselves to exercise. They constantly put off training. The reason lies in the lack of proper motivation and willpower. However, even small physical activities produce tangible results.
You don't have to constantly go to the gym to lose extra pounds. You can burn a decent amount of calories at home:
- turn on your favorite music and dance rhythmically;
- 2 hours of active apartment cleaning will allow you to get rid of 400 kcal;
- the same amount of kcal can be burned if you iron while standing;
- walk several times a week for 30 minutes;
- try to move more and more often.
Especially for the lazy, there are special types of exercises that help maintain muscle tone. These include:
- stretching;
- swimming in the pool;
- recumbent exercise bike;
- walking path.
If you don't have enough willpower, you need to choose something that brings you pleasure. It can be:
- roller skating or ice skating;
- a ride on the bicycle;
- long walks with children;
- swimming in the sea or pond.
It is important to remember about additional procedures that do not take much effort and time. These include:
- warm baths with sea salt and essential oils;
- contrast shower in the morning and evening;
- massage of problem areas;
- using scrubs and peels to tighten the skin;
- wraps based on mustard, vinegar, clay;
- good sleep in a calm environment.
The key to success in losing weight is quality sleep. Its deficiency has a bad effect on the health of the entire body. 7-9 hours of rest daily will help improve your willpower and improve your condition.
Regular visits to the gym make the body elastic and toned.
By quitting classes, you run the risk of gaining extra pounds very quickly and losing shape. Therefore, I highly recommend not canceling your visits. If you've been doing it for a long time, keep doing it.
However, I want to focus on one point that many people miss. After forty years, a stage begins in the energy component of a person that is characterized by a lack of joy in movements.
I will try to explain this nuance in detail. Each of us has a specific energy program. Pay attention to small children, such as five-year-olds. They never walk - they always need to run somewhere, jump and gallop. A small child experiences joy from active movement, from running, from jumping. And this joy slowly fades away over the years.
At 18 years old, we are still active, we need to be on time everywhere, we have a lot of plans - jogging in the morning, clubs in the evenings, and guests, and parties. After twenty, the desire to move as much gradually decreases. Already at thirty we don’t feel much happiness because of jogging and going to the gym with weights and dumbbells. Well, after forty you shouldn’t expect this at all.
And then there are people who can maintain weight perfectly without any physical activity. During my practice I have...
Realistic weight loss plan
At the beginning, you need to clearly define your goal: do you want to lose 5 kg, or maybe you have to get rid of several dozen extra pounds. This will help you know how long it will take you to achieve your goal. Any rush in the struggle for an ideal figure can lead to failure.
The rate of weight loss should be realistic: you can lose 0.5-1 kg in 7-10 days, but 3-5 kg per week is an unrealistic fantasy, which cannot be maintained with any willpower. Moreover, slowly losing excess weight helps to maintain the achieved result for quite a long time.
What is more effective: willpower or motivation?
As a rule, if a woman decides to lose weight for the sake of a new dress for the holiday, to get her figure in order for the beach season, one wish is enough for her to fulfill her plans. But how to lose weight if you have no willpower?
Replace it with competent motivation! It is able to compensate for a deficiency or weak willpower, giving a powerful charge of strength and energy to fulfill a desire. But the goal must be chosen correctly. Some people are motivated by a picture from a glossy magazine, others need to lose weight in order to buy any clothes for themselves, not just those that hide excess body volume...
If you honestly answer the questions: “Why do I need this?” and “What can I get in return for excess weight?” - then losing weight itself will become only a tool for achieving an ideal figure. Whenever your body resists changing your habits, it is the answers to these questions that will become the “golden key” to continuing your path to slimness. At the same time, this will provide an opportunity to develop willpower and get the desired figure.
Motivation will help build confidence in your abilities and support you in difficult times when fighting laziness, when you need to go to training or walk a few stops. It will provide an opportunity to increase the level of physical activity, move more, and adhere to proper diet, sleep and rest.
Diet and willpower
You need to reduce your caloric intake gradually, avoiding sudden restrictions. If its nutritional value is insufficient, muscle tissue will begin to break down, weakness, nausea and possible fainting will appear. In this case, even a strong-willed person will stop torturing himself! A slow reduction in calorie intake will help the body adapt and get used to new conditions.
Nutritionists consider split meals to be the healthiest diet today. Eating breakfast in a timely manner (within an hour of waking up) creates a feeling of fullness and starts a fast metabolism throughout the day. Frequent intake of small portions (5-8 times a day) guarantees the absence of hunger and proper metabolism.
Willpower is needed when following a regimen of fractional meals only for its organization: 3 hot meals and 2-4 light snacks.
Willpower and regular exercise
Having heard about the gym or a morning jog, those who dream of losing weight put off physical activity until “later.” But you can lose weight while having fun!
Playing outdoor games with children, general cleaning of the house, shopping or a dance party, as well as a walk in the park, rollerblading or skating, biking or skiing in winter will help you have fun, while at the same time warming up your muscles and burning calories.
Don't ignore your workouts at the gym. Going to a fitness club can, along with sports activity, give you new acquaintances and friendships with like-minded people.
Healthy eating and proper rhythm of life are the key to successful figure modeling. The phrase “I want to lose weight, but I have no willpower” can become a thing of the past if your main motto becomes: “I see the goal - I see no obstacles!”
Willpower for weight loss - 5 recommendations
Arguing over money as a motivator for losing weight.
Make money bets with relatives. Talk about wanting to lose 10 kg for beach season. Knowing that you have to give money if you don’t lose weight spurs willpower and the desire to win an argument. The desire to become 10 kg less is the same.
Temptation is not a command, but a feeling.
When you want to buy sweets or some unhealthy treat, repeat the phrase: “Temptation is not an order, but a feeling.” And if it’s a feeling, then you don’t need to indulge it, because feelings can come and go.
As soon as you are tempted to eat something harmful, immediately remember what you urgently need to do. For example, “I really want some cake, oh, but I still need to vacuum.” Go straight away and do something to take your mind off things. If after 10 minutes the desire does not disappear, you need to find a replacement.
Eat something healthier, such as low-fat yogurt or drink coffee without sugar. That is, replace a harmful product with a healthy alternative: candy - dried fruits, cheese - feta cheese, white bread - black, fried potatoes - steamed. Avocado is a very nutritious fruit for weight loss - just what you need. Saturates and contains healthy vegetable fats.
Understand the serving size
If you don't eat enough, sooner or later you can break down. Therefore, try to stick to fractional meals with low-calorie foods.
You must know:
- 100 grams of meat or fish takes up no more space than a deck of cards.
- For one meal, 1 teaspoon of vegetable or butter is enough, this also includes soft cheese
- 45 grams of cheese looks like a tube of lipstick.
- A portion of porridge and salad should be the size of a fist. Add spices for taste, such as cinnamon for weight loss or turmeric.
What to do if you really want sweets while on a diet?
In almost all diets, sweets are contraindicated for those losing weight, so lovers of chocolates and cakes have a hard time. If you belong to the category of those who cannot do without sugar-containing products for a long time, do not choose strict diets with a menu clearly defined by days and hours.
If your diet involves making adjustments to your diet, and you really want something sweet, dried fruits will help, choose the ones you love. And although many dried fruits have a fairly high calorie content (for example, dates), only 4-5 fruits are enough to slightly “discourage” the desire for sweets. In addition, if you really can’t bear it, then with a not too strict diet you can afford the following delicacies in small quantities:
- marshmallows, marshmallows, marmalade;
- jelly;
- honey;
- bitter chocolate;
- maple syrup (very tasty with baked apples).
How to love sports
It is extremely difficult for overweight people to force themselves to exercise. People put everything off until Monday, next week, next year, and so on. It is precisely because they consider physical activity “heavy”, they think about a bad result and, most importantly, that sport is not an interesting activity - characterizes them as people without willpower and proper motivation - the goal of losing weight. However, even minor physical activity brings a noticeable effect.
In order to start playing sports, it is not at all necessary to visit fitness rooms or any group classes. Even home cleaning is enough. For 2 hours of intensive cleaning and ironing while standing, about 400 kcal are burned. And if you decide to do morning exercises or even a set of exercises, the result will not take long to arrive.
Why is it important to develop willpower?
First of all, you need to understand that self-control is not an innate quality; it can and should be improved. In fact, it is the basis and support of your personality. The more time you devote to developing this ability, the greater your chances of achieving success in any endeavor.
During his life, a person sets many goals for himself. But most of them turn out to be unattainable. Or does it just seem that way? In fact, most people simply quit what they started, obeying their momentary impulses. Laziness, fear, temporary interest in something new - all this prevents us from becoming the person we sometimes see in our dreams. Therefore, it is very important to develop willpower before it is too late to change something.
How quickly and effectively can you lose weight?
Speaking about nutrition, I have always been of the opinion that every person should eat the most natural food possible - what our planet so generously provides us with. We still live on this earth, and we should use its products to the maximum.
In my courses I offer the best that can be made from the food of our planet. And genetic memory remembers this. And people understand that this is true, that this is how it should be. But not everyone realizes: “How can this be? How did I not think of this before?
Let's face it: this is proper nutrition, not everyone likes it. Although they understand that this is the best option, it is difficult to switch completely to only such products. To do this, you already need willpower, you need to overcome your habits and desires. In general, for any diet you need to work on yourself. But you want to return to your previous lifestyle, even though it is detrimental to your weight. And a person understands this, but sometimes it is so difficult to overcome himself that he is ready to give up the goal.
I want to lose weight, but I have no willpower - 8 tips
Don't despair. Here are 8 tips that will help you develop willpower, lose extra pounds and maintain your desired weight:
Strong motivation
Make sure weight loss really matters. Have you ever wondered why most people claim that they want to get a slim figure, but not many actually succeed? The reason is that often it is not only a lack of proper motivation. Why do you want to lose weight? To feel healthy, to look great, or because the society in which we live imposes its cult of beauty on us. Gaining 1–2 kg is almost a mortal sin. You probably don't have any motivation to lose weight if your only reason is to look like the beauties from Cosmopolitan. Make sure that the reasons are other than the general hysteria fanned by the media.
Long-term weight loss and maintenance
The only way to healthy and sustainable weight loss is to consciously understand that it is not so important to lose weight. It is much more important to then save the parameters of the figure. It's good to understand that it's often easier to lose weight than to keep it off. It is important to accept the fact that you will need to change your lifestyle and maintain it. It will take at least six months.
Losing weight while sleeping
Quality sleep is the key to success. Most people are chronically sleep deprived. You may not even notice it; to most it seems like a natural state. However, lack of sleep impairs the function of the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for self-control. In most cases, the problem lies precisely in the quantity of sleep, and not in its quality. Deprivation of it has a destructive effect. In general, the basal sleep requirement for a mature person is 7–9 hours. To have willpower and lose weight, you need to improve your sleep.
Stress under control
Being under continuous stress we understand that it is not good for our health, but very few are aware of its harmful effects. If you are under stress, the brain incites us to various temptations - sweets, alcoholic drinks, etc. Therefore, it is very important to keep stressful situations under control.
Don't go without food for a long time
People who are trying to lose weight sharply reduce their calorie intake, skip meals or eat very little. However, our brain immediately reacts to this, the blood sugar level drops, and it signals the threat of hunger. This leads to uncontrolled gluttony. Carry healthy snacks with you. Otherwise, there is a high probability of eating more junk food, clouding your judgment in a fit of hunger.
Plan and think through your meals
Willpower is a limited resource. The intention to lose excess weight without willpower, which we make, no matter how small, uses up our cognitive resources and drives us into overwork. This means deciding what to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thus, you do not create an unnecessary burden on your willpower by removing harmful foods from view and focusing on foods that promote weight loss.
Analyze failures and learn from them
If you think about it honestly, there is a possibility that you will be tempted at some points. The vast majority are tempted to eat the whole cake themselves and then promise not to let this happen again. However, it is advisable to simply analyze the reasons, find ways and means that will help prevent these actions in the future.
Take action now
Believe me, you can lose weight forever, no matter how many times you have tried in the past. Give yourself a chance. Tell yourself - I can do anything. Analyze your failures, track your successes. The time may seem very long, but it will pass anyway, so why not start now. Stay on track, focus on the big picture, and you'll get the results you've always dreamed of.
If you want to lose weight as quickly as possible, then lack of willpower is not at all a reason to renounce your slim figure.
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How to lose weight without forcing your body and psyche?
The correct answer is to lose weight very slowly, taking small, sometimes imperceptible steps in the right direction.
Tatyana Sokolova-Cheban , psychologist, full member of the All-Russian Professional Psychotherapeutic League. Practice - 8 years.
First of all, review your diet. There is no need for sudden movements, starvation diets and vows like “from today I will give up sweets, fried pork and beer and chips.” Start small - reduce the number of calories you consume by slightly changing your eating habits.
Our expert, psychologist Tatyana Sokolova-Cheban, believes that everyone has willpower, only the level of its manifestation differs from case to case.
In my opinion, in order to develop and maintain willpower at a constantly high level, two things are important - self-worth and motivation. If you value yourself, you will learn to understand your goals, your paths and your ways of achieving them. It is never too late to start training willpower, but it is almost impossible if there is no peace and harmony with yourself and no unconditional love for yourself. “I love myself, I am valuable, I am important” - this is the foundation on which willpower is built. And then any diet can be done!
Who or what will help you lose weight?
First, first aid and emergency aid - friends. Every woman is surrounded by a reliable friend who cannot be broken by fat deposits. It is these women who fuel even the smallest manifestations of willpower. A woman who is losing weight should allow her friend not to skimp on comments about her weight; this keeps her within limits and strictness. There are, of course, successful attempts to lose weight with the help of like-minded people on weight loss forums. In this case, the woman will have the opportunity to share her small successes and survive to the end thanks to the support of complete strangers.
Another source of determination is family. For women, the support of loved ones and relatives is very important in the matter of all sorts of goodies, which now need to be kept away from. In this case, at a family council or over dinner, it is enough to announce to your household about your firm decision to go on a diet. In such situations, relatives begin to constantly ask questions about the results achieved, thereby preventing the woman losing weight from relaxing.
It is important to find the strongest motivation for yourself. Motivation with an ideal figure will not help in this case, everything should be much deeper
An excellent motivation is the man you love; the fear of losing him because of your extra pounds will overwhelm you and keep you within limits. Motivation related to children, for example, the desire to look decent next to them, is also suitable. It will also help to buy expensive and beautiful things that are 1-2 sizes smaller, which can only be pulled on if you lose weight.
To do evil to everyone. If anyone doubts a woman’s capabilities, her willpower, she will prove to everyone that “she can,” she will pull herself together and lose weight. It is enough to find a hated lady, hated because of her better figure, and bypass her in all respects. At the same time, you need to praise yourself more often.
The last, but one of the most important rules: you need to learn to say a firm “no”, to say not to someone, but to yourself. There is no need to justify such a refusal with the desire to lose weight; this, as it turns out, is not the strongest incentive. It is enough to choose a clear explanation; it could be a thought about the dangers of your favorite cheeseburger for the body or the number of kilograms obtained from a cake. Nutritionists remind us that 1 molecule of carbohydrate will result in 2 molecules of fat. You need to be persistent and decisive in your own endeavors, this will allow you to succeed in losing weight.
