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How's Your Will Power?

S

SweetHeart

Well-Known Member
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I was just pondering, whilst eating my delicious supper (thanks Defren!) about will power.

I've tried quite a few diets. I'm not a career dieter or a yo-yo dieter. I haven't lost much, or any, weight with other diets I've tried; cabbage soup diet, ultra low calorie etc. and I've given up within a week or two or cheated with sneaky treats.

But low carbing doesn't feel like a diet. It's full of great things to eat and you don't often feel hungry. It took some getting used to, and I found it hard for the first two weeks or so. The hardest times for me are just before meals when I'm running on empty and last thing at night when I'm reading - if I was going to cheat and snaffle a sneaky treat, it would be then. Usually I have zero will power!

However, I always manage to stop myself. Immediately it comes to mind how well I'm doing, all be it slowly, and I can put temptation behind me. Purple sticks are my latest incentive.

Now, I'm non-diabetic; I'm low-carbing for my health and to support MH so he's not having to do this alone. If I eat a few hefty carbs it's not going to affect my BG levels, although it does make me feel nauseous, so I don't have the added incentive that you guys have.....

...So how are you doing with will power or the lack of?

Ju
 
I only ever did a diet once before and it was slimming world. I did quite well, but stopped it much sooner than I planned. I think the measuring and weighing everything got to me. Since low carbing I have cheated just once. I had a packet of McCoy crisps. My BG went sky high and stayed there for ages, never again. Now I am on the Newcastle diet, I swore I would have nothing but the shakes, black tea and squash. I have cheated twice and both times it was one stick of celery. I think it was day 2 and day 4. I did it not because I was hungry, but because I had an overpowering urge to chew something. So yes I have cheated, but I don't really count them as such as I am not easting any solid food at all, apart from those 2 little lonely sticks of celery :lol:
 
I gave up smoking just over five years ago. I was a heavy smoker, getting through around fifty a day. When I really put my mind to it my will power is fantastic.
 
If you mean losing weight Julia , I lost around six stones with Slimming World, and was so good I became a consultant. Maybe I should have stuck at that :oops:
 
My will power is appalling. The only way I can stick to my low-carb diet is by not having carbs in the house.

My carbs went up a bit last week when I was in Inverness, but unfortunately my BGs stayed down :shock: . This presumably means that my insulin resistance has lessened because of my previous weight loss, and I can tolerate more carbs now, as far as the diabetes goes. Surely a good thing?

Well, no. I'm eating too many carbs to keep the weight loss going, and if the weight creeps up again, the BGs will increase. So I need to get back on to the strict diet to get more weight off.

Only this cold weather is no good at all for my will-power :roll: . Sigh!

Viv 8)
 
I have amazed myself with how good my willpower is. If I'm ever tempted to splurge or not do my exercise I just say 'stroke' to myself and I'm totally committed again.
 
Will power? No, I don't think I have any of that. I'm the one who was on Atkins, genuinely had a low-carb diet yet gained weight. Not possible? Don't bet your life on that. Even on low carbs, if you eat enough cheese (for example), you will put on weight.

I've been on a Newcastle (style) diet for 8 days now and have lost 8lb. My blood sugars aren't yet where I want them to be, but I think that will come good in time. One of the advantages for me is that my diet now is pretty rigidly defined - way less opportunity to work the system without making it obvious (to myself). Will power and the application of common sense play less of a part.

Of course, the Newcastle diet is only 8 weeks long and, at the end of that, I have to find a sustainable means of moving back to a low carb (and sensible calory) diet . Who knows, maybe by that time I'll be fully convinced of the benefits of portion control and lack of cheese - at least by then even continuing dietary austerity might seem an attractive proposition, compared with drinking pink grot three times a day. :-)

Andrew
 
didie said:
I have amazed myself with how good my willpower is. If I'm ever tempted to splurge or not do my exercise I just say 'stroke' to myself and I'm totally committed again.
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I am going to remember that didie. Thank you :D
 
andrewk said:
Will power? No, I don't think I have any of that. I'm the one who was on Atkins, genuinely had a low-carb diet yet gained weight. Not possible? Don't bet your life on that. Even on low carbs, if you eat enough cheese (for example), you will put on weight.

I've been on a Newcastle (style) diet for 8 days now and have lost 8lb. My blood sugars aren't yet where I want them to be, but I think that will come good in time. One of the advantages for me is that my diet now is pretty rigidly defined - way less opportunity to work the system without making it obvious (to myself). Will power and the application of common sense play less of a part.

Of course, the Newcastle diet is only 8 weeks long and, at the end of that, I have to find a sustainable means of moving back to a low carb (and sensible calory) diet . Who knows, maybe by that time I'll be fully convinced of the benefits of portion control and lack of cheese - at least by then even continuing dietary austerity might seem an attractive proposition, compared with drinking pink grot three times a day. :-)

Andrew
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It's day seven for me, and my determination to do the full eight weeks strictly with no added solid food is as strong now as it was when I first decided to give it a go. I have stuck absolutely to the letter of the diet, using Atkins shakes. I am convinced, and there is not one person could convince me otherwise this works. I don't find the shakes to be 'grot' but I see the diet as a means to an end, so am perfectly fine with them.

Diabetes is not just a condition to me, it's an absolute obsession. I have turned my life and my lifestyle completely on it's head, and have seen a person emerge that I have not seen in well over a decade. That is strength and determination, along with being able to look at me feet and see they are healthy and very much attached. The fear of complications for me is all consuming. I want to see my as yet un born grandchildren when and if they arrive. I want to watch them grow up. I want to be able to retire and live as active and healthy a life as possible. For me, the motivation to control this is right there.
 
I find Idon't need will power to keep to low carb. It has become my way of life and it suits me. Looking at my meter keeps me on track.[meter readings of 4 - 6 acceptable, but under 5 is betterfor me] I do allow myself little treats [emphasis on the word LITTLE]
Hana
 
Any amount of willpower, determined to reach a ripe old age with no major complications:)
 
I think that it gets easier the longer that you do it. As long as there is enough (meaty/cheezy/creamy/avacadoy) low-carb snacks in the fridge then it isn't a problem. I eat when I'm hungry and forget about it otherwise.

The biggest challenge for me is when, like next week, I spend a week in America and 90% of my food comes from restaurants and I can't control every carb in the same way as I do at home. I try my best to choose carefully, and ask for changes wherever possible, but I sometimes find that if you take away all the bread and chips and deserts from a standard menu, there isn't enough food to stop me from feeling hungry. :thumbdown:
 
borofergie said:
I think that it gets easier the longer that you do it. As long as there is enough (meaty/cheezy/creamy/avacadoy) low-carb snacks in the fridge then it isn't a problem. I eat when I'm hungry and forget about it otherwise.

The biggest challenge for me is when, like next week, I spend a week in America and 90% of my food comes from restaurants and I can't control every carb in the same way as I do at home. I try my best to choose carefully, and ask for changes wherever possible, but I sometimes find that if you take away all the bread and chips and deserts from a standard menu, there isn't enough food to stop me from feeling hungry. :thumbdown:
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After watching 'Man Vs Food' with Adam Richman and his tour of restaurants and eateries I can see exactly what you mean Stephen.
On the other hand,seeing how some Deli's on the program season and smoke their meats over 36 hours is positively mouthwatering!
 
Seeing what has happened to my Dad and Grandma is enough to give me all the will power i need.

I love embroidery and just the thought of losing my sight or finger-tip feeling enough to have to stop embroidering is a powerful deterrent.
 
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