With all the advice, coaching and health foods that are out there, there's one thing that cannot be bought or manufactured and yet none of us can get or stay healthy without it - will power.
What makes you refuse the bacon cheeseburger deluxe and go for a greek salad instead? How do you manage to say no to dessert when everyone else in the party is digging into strawberry cheesecake a la mode?
Truth is, none of us knows how you get it or where it comes from. If I did, I'd bottle it and put WW, Jenny Craig, LA Weightloss and every other program out of business. Yet whatever these companies and many others offer, this essential component is brought to the table by the customer alone.
While I don't know what's behind will power, here are a couple of random thoughts on what fuels it -
+ Success. Nothing succeeds like success. That's why it's important to celebrate victories, like the first 10lb of weight loss, 10% of your bodyweight, etc.
+ Companionship. It's a fact that in WW people who attend weekly meetings are three times more succesful than those who follow the program without going to meetings.
+ Focus. Keeping an eye on the goal helps us to maintain positive momentum.
+ Recall. Remembering where we have come from and what we do not need to go back to can propel us forward. I found a scarey photo this week, showing me almost 135lb heavier than I am now. I never realized I was that big. It's insane - I definitely don't plan to go back there.
