Weight Loss Discipline

Why is it so hard to lose weight and keep it off? We have
all heard that weight loss is just a matter of taking in
less calories than we expend. That certainly sounds very
logical, but is it really that simple?

For example, I had an intention of only eating fruits and
vegetables for a day or two, to counteract the recent ‘junk’
food I had been enjoying. This was a solid plan that
practically guaranteed a decrease in caloric intake.
However, a solid plan doesn’t always mean an easy execution.

I figured I would be relatively safe making a trip to the
health food store. So my guard against high fat foods was
down. When I got to the store, my sensibilities were
assailed by a well meaning clerk hawking some freshly made
corn beef and cabbage. I could hardly resist the
temptation. And that wasn’t the end of it. Once my armour
was breached, the temptation of tasty, ‘health oriented’
cookie samples fought for my attention.

Once again, I capitulated. My normally strong will power
seemed to crumble. And once weakened, it seemed reasonable
to just continue. It’s like that first drink for the
recovering alcoholic.

I am by no means overweight, but once in a while my diet
gets out of hand and the fat around my midsection gets a
little more sizable than I am comfortable with. Usually,
times like these are a great opportunity to get a little
detoxification in, so I like to focus on fruits and
vegetables for a day or two.

This has the dual effect of decreasing my caloric intake. I
was also sticking with the simple plan mentioned above. So
where did things go wrong? Did I not have enough discipline?
Did I lack willpower, or was it something else?

In retrospect, the problem appears to be a lack of
preparation. I failed to use the power of why. Let me
explain. When the chips were down, I didn’t seem to have
enough reason to maintain discipline. Maybe you have had a
similar experience? I rationalized with, “oh, a little
won’t hurt me”. The truth is, once you start down that
road, it can be hard to turn back.

What would the right preparation be in that case? What is
this power of why that I am talking about? A great way to
fortify will power with any strategy is to actually write
out the reasons why sticking to your plan or achieving your
goal is important. It is kind of like stockpiling
ammunition. The weaponry, in this case, appears in the form
of a list.

With a long list of reasons supporting the plan or the goal,
I would have had a lot more reserves to draw on when my
front line defenses were being stressed. When the well
meaning clerk was pouncing, I should have had a ready list
of whys to fall back on. As the clerk was just being nice
and sounding really sensible, plus it was a free sample
after all, my mind should have responded with my ready made
list of why I should not vary from my plan.

That didn’t happen because I never made such a list.
Whatever you are trying to accomplish in life, there are
bound to be obstacles and obstructions that just leap into
your path to stop or block you. These are the times that
you need your list. The list is your power. No list, no
power.

When anyone sits down to plan something or set a goal, they
need a list to support them during weak times. The longer
the list, the better. Even if one has to carry the list
along in one’s pocket, it is worth it. A list of about 50
reasons, while hard to create, can pay off in a major way.

Imagine the clerk’s surprise, had I pulled out my handy list
and read it off for him. My armour would not have been
pierced and the clerk would have had to move on to more
ready prey or risk having the spear of temptation blunted!
No list, no power.

So, how long is your list?

This article is for information purposes only. It is not
meant to advise on diet or weight loss or on any health
matters. If you have or think you have a health issue,
including weight or diet issues, consult your primary care
physician for proper diagnoses and treatment.

copyright 2005 by David Snape

Dave Snape is a health, fitness and wellness enthusiast. His website is http://tobeinformed.com

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