Is Willpower Enough When It Comes to Weight Loss?
Did you have “lose weight” as a New Year’s Resolution this year? If so, you’re with the majority of Americans. Nearly 66% of adults are on a diet at any given time, making weight loss a goal many people pursue. However, pursuing a goal doesn’t mean someone will attain it.
A healthy lifestyle is presumed to be one in which you are able to remain at a healthy weight with a reasonable amount of effort. Healthy foods, regular exercise, and a low amount of stress are other key components, all with the intent to keep a person at a healthy, low weight. If we know what it takes, then why is it so hard?
If We Know What to Do For Weight Loss, Why Do We Have So Much Trouble Actually Doing It?
It’s a common problem for many adults across industries. Knowing how to complete a task theoretically doesn’t always result in a flawless execution. The problem that appears when someone is trying to lose weight is a combination of too much information, and too much focus on discipline.
What Should We Eat? Why It’s Difficult to Make Smart Choices.
The United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, published the recognizable food pyramid in 1992. While it was designed to make choosing healthy foods easier, it seems to have fallen short. It was updated in 2005, and replaced with the MyPlate guidelines in 2011.
The goal is to provide guidance to Americans on how to follow a healthy diet. It appears basic, as the latest image relies not on pyramids to reflect the day’s total food consumption but instead a template for each meal. The problem is not in the template’s guidance, per se, but in the individual’s motivation to execute it consistently.
What About Willpower? Why Choosing Healthy Portions Is About Habit, Not Discipline.
A common refrain when it comes to dieting is self-control. In fact, nearly 50% of participants in one study admitted that they had trouble losing weight, and that their self-discipline was to blame. Discipline is needed when someone is trying to lose weight, but not in the way one might expect.
It takes extraordinary willpower to change one’s daily habits. Too often, dieters expect themselves to be successful with their newest attempt to lose weight not because they have made it easier, but because they have decided to try a new technique. Make no mistake, willpower runs out. The only thing that can make someone continue to carry on with their goals when this happens is if their habits take over the hard work. To reach the goal of permanently keeping weight off, healthy food choices must become second nature. For people who are obese and have a lot of weight to lose, it is helpful to bring in extra help.
Do You Need Doctor Supervised Weight Loss?
For a person who is motivated to lose weight, they often want to jump right in with a new diet plan. In fact, nearly 80% of adult dieters will attempt to lose weight without any help. However, for the one in three adults who qualify as obese, it would be a wise health decision to discuss their weight loss plans with their doctor first.
Being obese has health risks that the average dieter does not. It is important to bring one’s doctor on board to make sure the weight is lost safely. It is not unusual for a dieter to seek out a plan that claims to help the person lose a lot of weight very quickly. This, while tempting, is never safe for a number of reasons. These types of diets can put undue stress on a person’s body. Slow and steady is the best technique to lose weight and keep it off.
It is not uncommon for adults to seek a healthier lifestyle. When it comes to weight loss, especially long-term weight loss, it is crucial to note that fads are not long-term solutions. Simple changes that can be incorporated into one’s daily schedule so as to become a habit are the best bet for achieving weight loss.
