WILLPOWER

The #1 key to success in achieving a healthy lifestyle (according to me) is willpower. LOL...without it you are fighting a losing battle...against yourself!

I discovered this early on last year. I was actually surprised that I had so much of it. I wonder if the amount of willpower comes with the amount of candles on your birthday cake? Because I sure didn't have it years ago, thus the state I was in.

I think that everyone should test out their willpower when they first start to notice that they are gaining weight. It's like that old saying...

If only we could know how much weight we'd pack on and how it would affect our health, we'd know when to kick our willpower into high gear and avoid later hardships.

Something else I noticed is that a person's attitude affects their willpower. If you aren't "in the mood" for changing your lifestyle, it just isn't going to happen. You have to really want to do it...and you really have to understand that it isn't going to be easy.

Different people have different motives for changing...some succumb to peer pressure ( I think this is mostly the younger generation) and includes media hype about image...some are bullied by their mate or families to lose weight...some have no choice due to medical issues...and some just snap out of their junk-food-induced stupor, lol, like I did.

Actually, it was the fact that I was on the brink of having medical issues to deal with that had me "scared straight". When my doctor said that my 3 levels (cholesterol, blood pressure & blood sugar) were above normal and would need medication to control them, I panicked! I had visions of a life spent sitting in doctor's waiting rooms, countless visits to labs for tests and the monthly budget drained by prescriptions.

I've never been one to visit doctors unless absolutely necessary and I wasn't about to start. I asked her if she'd give me time to work on a healthier lifestyle before putting me on meds, she set me up with a dietitian and agreed to give me 6 months to do so.

I can't believe how things turned out...I left her office thinking that I'd lose 5 lbs. and all would be good. Little did I know the success I would have and what amazing results I would have at my 6 month checkup...slimmer and healthier...life is good :)

To sum it all up, I suppose it comes down to this...you have to want to make the change yourself, not for anyone else, not for any other reason, you have to do it because it will make you happy :)

I really wish that I had started this blog last year...I think the journey would have been so much easier and enjoyable if I'd had company. But I have to admit, I wasn't alone all year though. I was overjoyed when Al decided that if I could do it, so could he. We've had alot of laughs especially while exercising :)

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

This week, I'd like for you to delve deep inside yourself and ponder why you are ready to change your lifestyle.

Ask yourself these 3 questions:
1. Are you just wanting to improve your eating habits, are you just ready to start/increase exercising or are you just ready to do both?
2. Is your goal to improve your health, to lose weight or to do both?
3. What was the catalyst that changed your attitude to give you the willpower to start now?

Once you've figured that all out, please share your revelations with us in the comment area :)

NEXT WEEK'S BLOG:

Next week we explore the 2 areas we'll need to use our willpower in...healthier eating habits and exercise :)

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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.